G25: Commercialisation of public services can further divide society
PETALING JAYA: The creeping commercialisation of public services in Malaysia under the guise of “financial sustainability” is concerning, says civil society group G25.
Citing rising foreign student intake in public universities and preferential treatment for paying patients in public hospitals, the group of prominent retired civil servants said such trends could deny deserving Malaysians access to essential services.
The group warned that such policies risk deepening socio-economic divides and undermining constitutional guarantees of equality.
“This risks creating new socio-economic divides not based on race or religion, but between those who can afford access and those who cannot,” it said in a statement yesterday.
It could also be a violation of the equality provisions as enshrined in Article 8 (equality before the law) and Article 12 (equality in the administration of education) of the Federal Constitution, it added.
It said that the nation’s ambition to become a high-income, innovation-driven economy hinges on consistent implementation of policies.
“Malaysia’s ambition to become a high-income, innovation-driven economy must be underpinned by policies that develop and retain talent as well as avoid deepening socio-economic inequalities,” it said.
The group also warned that economic advancement must be matched by improvements in governance and civil liberties.
“As the saying goes, when the stomach is full, people expect higher standards.
“Failure to meet these expectations could lead to resentment that could be exploited by extremist narratives,” it added.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who first raised the issue, said he was not alone in his concerns about public university admissions.
“The G25 shares my apprehension about the commercialisation of these institutions, whereby the rich can just enrol in our public universities as long as they can afford the high tuition fees.
“This could impact access for less affluent Malaysian students, despite their academic excellence,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
He noted that such practice was reminiscent of the Rakan KKM policy, where money allows one to skip the queue for medical treatment.
“Kudos to G25 for their courage in speaking the truth,” added Dr Wee.
On Wednesday, Dr Wee reiterated his concerns about the sharp rise in foreign student enrolment at Malaysia’s public universities which is outpacing that of local students, raising red flags about allocation of placements.
Citing a recent study by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap), he said the number of Malaysian students enrolling in public universities increased modestly from 172,719 in 2018 to 191,450 in 2024, reflecting a 10.8% rise and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of mere 1.73%.
In stark contrast, non-Malaysian enrolment surged from 10,003 in 2018 to 19,731 in 2024, marking a 97.3% increase and a CAGR of 11.99%.
While not against the intake of international students, Dr Wee said it becomes an issue when their enrolment seems to be replacing spots meant for Malaysian students.
“We must ensure a balance that respects the educational needs of our own creme de la creme.”
In response, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir denied the allegation, saying the government continued to prioritise Malaysians with no compromise on the quotas allocated for local students in public universities.
