KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 ― The government should explain why the criteria for Public Service Department (PSD) domestic scholarships are more stringent than those for overseas ones, a DAP lawmaker said today.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok claimed that the academic requirement needed for the local P9A+ Programme is higher compared to the Japan, South Korea, France and Germany (JKPJ) Special Programme, in which 200 scholarships are awarded to undergraduates pursuing engineering studies in those countries
“Public Service Department (PSD) overseas scholarship requires only 7A s (for JKPJ Special Programme) while domestic scholarships (P9 A+ Programme) require 9 A +?” she questioned in a statement today.
The Seputeh MP held Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk SK Devamany to task, as he was to have made an explanation in Parliament last month on how PSD gives out scholarships.
“If Devamany had made a mistake in reading the reply in the Parliament, surely the PSD staff present in Parliament then would have alerted him to make the necessary correction.
“But this did not take place and it can then be concluded that he did not provide a wrong answer,” Kok added.
The DAP national vice-chairman also demanded an explanation over an SPM top scorer, Teh Xin Yi, not getting a JPKJ scholarship even though she was among the top 200 achievers for the Form Five public examination last year.
“Devamany should also explain why Ipoh top scorer Teh Xin Yi who scored 11A+ in all her subjects had failed in her application for the JKPJ Special Programme.
“Devamany and PSD must explain how she failed in her application when there are 200 scholarship places under the JKPJ Special Programme and Teh is one of the 102 students who had scored all A+ in all subjects taken in the 2016 SPM examination,” Kok stressed.
PSD director-general Datuk Seri Zainal Rahim Seman previously was reported claiming that after the Bursary Programme was discontinued, the 9A+ Sponsorship Programme was introduced.
He also said that under PPN, top students based will be given a chance to pursue their education at the world’s top 10 universities according to the QS World University Ranking by subject.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dap-mp-why-is-it-harder-to-get-local-psd-scholarships-than-overseas#sthash.80H5sfGy.dpuf