Dr Wee: Only slight rise in TAR UC fees even though govt has cut RM30mil grant

KUALA LUMPUR: Tuition fees at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) next year will see a slight increase after being adjusted for inflation, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).

The MCA president assured that the fee adjustment will be minimal, adding that students will still receive affordable education at TAR UC.

''Tuition fees will be slightly higher for new intake students next year.

''It is normal for the new fee structure to be implemented on new students. We want to let them know first so that they can be prepared.

''But no matter what, even after adjustment, TAR UC will still be the most affordable among all IPTS (private colleges),'' he said.

Dr Wee said that it was important to first look at the fee structure of TAR UC, which is the cheapest among all private higher institutions of learning.

'It is common for private colleges to revise their fees for inflation annually. It is something made known to the students as they enrol, he said at a press conference at Wisma MCA here on Sunday (Dec 16).

''Since TAR UC is a private tertiary institution, it has also been conducting such adjustments in the past.

He recognised there were worries that the government's cutting of RM30mil in matching grants to TAR UC will mean that the cost will be passed on to students in higher tuition fees.

''I wish to assure that it won't, there will only be a slight adjustment on tuition fees,'' he said, adding that the changes ''won't be much of a difference'' with what existing students are paying.

Earlier, Dr Wee was one of the key panellists at a briefing and forum on the government's allocation for TAR UC.

Other panellists included party vice-president Datuk Yew Teong Look; Datin Paduka Tan Siok Choo (daughter of former MCA president and TAR College founder Tun Tan Siew Sin) and lawyer cum TAR UC Alumni Association former committee member Marcus Tan.

On Dec 6, it was announced in Parliament that the government will only provide the institution with a development fund of RM5.5mil but not the RM30mil matching grant.

The matching grant is a commitment made to MCA by the previous administration to ensure that the institution continues to offer quality education to the young.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng reportedly said that MCA should break its ties with Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and TAR UC before the government could provide more allocation for the two institutions.

Dr Wee described the decision as cruel and reiterated that MCA will not break ties with the institutions that have been professionally managed without any political influence.