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Muhyiddin to meet Chinese groups
DEPUTY Prime Minister Tan
Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will
arrange for a meeting with
seven Chinese groups as soon
as possible on the teaching of
Mathematics and Science in
English.
The groups are Dong
Zong (United Chinese School
Committees Association), Jiao
Zong (United Chinese School
Teachers Association), Hua
Zong (Federation of Chinese
Associations of Malaysia),
Seven Major Clans Association,
United Chinese School Alumni
Association of Malaysia, Nan-
yang University Alumni Asso-
ciation of Malaysia and Taiwan
Graduates Alumni Association
of Malaysia.
They want the government
to abolish the policy to use
English as the medium of in-
struction for the two subjects.
Speaking at the opening
ceremony of Malaysian Inter-
national Cocoa Fair in Kuala
Chinese wives allege discrimination by Immigration Department
CHINESE women who have set-
tled down in Malaysia with their
Malaysian spouses face a host of
problems, chief among them the
difficulty in applying for permanent
resident status.
According to reports in the Chi-
nese press yesterday, 10 of them
voiced what they claimed was un-
fair treatment by the Immigration
Department, at a press conference
“This is not a govern-
Press Digest ment problem, but one that
involves the next genera-
by Kong See Hoh tion. As such, they must un-
newsdesk@thesundaily.com derstand the government’s
policy and their proposals
Lumpur on Friday, Muhyiddin, should benefit all the people
who is also education minister, and not just a few.”
said he had received requests He said NGOs should look
from Chinese groups for the at the issue from all angles
meeting. and make practical proposals
He said he has agreed to by setting aside their narrow
meet their representatives, the thinking.
Chinese press reported. It was reported on Friday
“I am open about the matter that the Chinese groups had
and want to hear their views, wanted to meet the education
regardless of whether they minister.
are Chinese, Indian or Malay Muhyiddin’s quick response
groups,” he said. caught many by surprise.
Asked how many non- Dong Zong president Dr Yap
governmental organisations Sin Tian, who wrote to Muhy-
(NGOs) want to see him over iddin on Friday for a meeting,
the policy, Muhyiddin said so said: “We are delighted with
far only one or two had the the quick and positive response
real intention to meet him for from the education minister.
a discourse, including a group “We look forward to the
led by national laureate Datuk meeting to convey the messages
A. Samad Said. of the Chinese community.”
called by Federal Territory MCA from the less-than-friendly officers
Public Service and Complaint Bu- at the department.
reau chief Dr Jeffrey Goh Sim Ik in “When the immigration officers
Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. learn that we are Chinese nationals,
Despite having stayed here for they refuse to sell us the applica-
more than five years, these Chinese tion form, telling us that there are
spouses are unable to get perma- no rules that say Chinese nationals
nent resident status, and hence are can apply for permanent resident
denied the opportunity to work. status. Those who managed to
They claimed they had problems get the form and submitted their
even getting the application form applications do not get any reply
from the department,” some of the
Chinese spouses said.
Meanwhile, Immigration direc-
tor-general Datuk Wahid Md Don
denied the department has been
rejecting PR applications by Chi-
nese wives.
He also said there are no rules
to bar any national from applying
to become a permanent resident in
Malaysia.
| MONDAY MAY 6 2009
PSD scholarship
results
available online
PETALING JAYA: Applicants of the
Public Service Department’s (PSD)
Sponsorship Programme for Study
in Foreign Universities can view the
results of their applications on the PSD
online portal http://esilav2.jpa.gov.my
Unsuccessful candidates may sub-
mit online appeals from now until May
18.
This year, a total of 15,084 candidates
applied for this scholarship. However,
only the 8,363 candidates who fulfilled
the stated conditions were called for the
compulsory interview session.
Only 2,000 candidates will be offered
scholarships to pursue their degrees in
fields determined by the government.
Considering the limited number of
overseas places available compared
to the number of applicants, the PSD
will also offer 2,000 scholarships for
students to pursue local degrees.
These students will be sponsored
to local campuses of international
institutes such as University of Notting-
ham, Monash University, Swinburne
University of Technology and Curtin
University of Technology.
Allocation of institutes will be fully
determined by the PSD, and the deci-
sions are final.
Candidates offered scholarships will
be required to enroll in pre-university
courses at certain locations determined
by the department.
They have to maintain existing
standards of excellence, as sponsorship
for their degree programmes will only
be extended if they retain good scores,
more than 90% attendance and a clean
disciplinary history.