KUALA LUMPUR: Staying silent is not MCA's way, nor is spewing rhetoric, as party president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong dares his detractors to argue using data over the public universities' admission controversy.
"Sorry, keeping silent is not MCA's way," said Dr Wee over his recent claims that the "commercialisation" of enrolment in public universities via rising percentage of international students as well as the open channel had edged out bright local students from higher education.
"This is not about targeting anyone. It's about ensuring that our local talents are not sidelined by the influx of international students or those who are more affluent.
"Public universities should primarily serve as institutions that retain and nurture our top talents and a method for social mobilisation for children from underprivileged families," said Dr Wee after attending VTAR Institute's 27th convocation ceremony here on Saturday (Aug 9).
Dr Wee also challenged his detractors to present data to substantiate their claims of him "lying" in Parliament.
"When I speak, I do so with evidence. If you disagree, present your data. "Transparency, credibility and integrity are paramount," he said, referencing the need for government accountability in university admissions and funding.
Addressing the need for government accountability, Dr Wee highlighted the lack of accessible and comprehensive data regarding the enrolment of local versus international students in public universities.
"You're the government now but why is it so hard to obtain this data?" he said.
Urging a thorough review of the current educational policies, Dr Wee said the government should provide adequate funding to public universities instead of relying on increased tuition fees.
"Universiti Malaya only received 61% of the allocation it requested. This is a government duty that must be fulfilled," he said.
Addressing the wider implications, he said, "This is not just about university enrolment. It's about the future of our nation.
"We must ensure that education policies align with the needs of our country and support the development of our local talents."
Reiterating his commitment to advocating for equitable access to education for all Malaysians regardless of their financial background, Dr Wee said he would fight against commercialising public universities' placement for financial gain.
"In my lifetime, I would fight against this. We were also from poor backgrounds. I think this shouldn’t happen.
"We must face the issues head-on and work together to find solutions. Silence is not an option," he added.
On Friday (Aug 8), Ipoh Timor MP Howard Lee claimed that Dr Wee was trying to paint public universities in a negative light.
Lee had claimed that across the 20 public universities, the total number of Chinese nationals studying undergraduate programmes was 7,930, while Malaysian undergraduates of Chinese descent were no less than 41,176.
Lee, however, did not state the source of these figures.
He also wanted Dr Wee to apologise in Parliament for "lying" about mainland Chinese students outnumbering locals in our public universities.
On Wednesday (Aug 8), Dr Wee reiterated his concerns about the sharp rise in the percentage of foreign student enrolment at Malaysia’s public universities that is outpacing that of local students, raising red flags about the 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 merely 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.
Civil society group G25 also stated their concerns about the increasing commercialisation of public services under the guise of "financial sustainability."
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir had also recently responded to Dr Wee, stating that the government continues to prioritise Malaysians, with no compromise on the quotas allocated for local students in public universities.
MCA then urged Zambry to make known admissions data for public universities, adding that the intake of foreign students must not come at the expense of local students.
