LGE: No public funds for politically-controlled education institutions

KUALA LUMPUR: Public funds will not be used for politically-controlled education institutions, says Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has made clear that public funds should be separate from politics.

"You give funding to political-controlled organisations, there are proprietary issues involved. Why should we channel funds to a politically-controlled organisation?" asked Lim.

He was responding to the question of why Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) was denied an allocation of a matching grant for a second year running in Budget 2020.

The RM5.5mil allocation for development expenses for TAR UCT under the Budget last year has been slashed to RM1mil for next year.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said he was sad TAR UC had been denied allocations for a matching grant for the second year running.

“There was no mention (of it) at all. Now, TAR UC is not even getting one sen, similar to what happened last year under Lim.

“This is the problem we face, and I am saddened by it, ” he said at Parliament lobby after Budget 2020 was tabled.

Under the Barisan Nasional government, Utar and TAR UC received an annual matching grant of between RM30mil and RM60mil.

Lim further said the Pakatan Harapan government was willing to return the RM30mil matching grant for two years if MCA relinquished control of the institutions.

"If MCA relinquishes control of TAR UC and Utar, the government will not only allocate a matching grant of RM30mil for 2020, but will also return the same amount for this year.

"Why is it so difficult to relinquish control and allow it to be restored as an education institution separate from politics so that it can be run independently and professionally?

"There should be a separation between politics and education, and between politics and public funding," Lim said.

This is the second budget in which Lim has said that MCA should relinquish control of Utar and TAR UC.

Last November, Dr Wee said Lim's suggestion was absurd as MCA set up the Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) in the late 1960s to offer education opportunities to low and middle income families.

He pointed out that MCA had successfully run the education institutions with Utar now ranking among one of the top Asian universities.