MP: Scholarship U-turn a 'janji tidak ditepati'

DAP MP Ong Kian Ming has accused the government of reneging on its promise to provide overseas Public Services Department (PSD) scholarships to non-bursary students.

"To promise one thing and then to take back that promise two years later is unacceptable and another example of an unfulfilled promise or 'Janji Tidak Ditepati'," he said.

In April 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who also oversees the education portfolio, said overseas PSD scholarship (PILN) would be open for students who did not manage to score 9A+ in their SPM results (non-bursary students).

"The deputy prime minister mislead the students when he announced the opening up of the overseas PSD scholarships to non-bursary students only to have this cancelled two years later without any public announcement," said Ong.

The former lecturer added that students were "disappointed" as there were no formal announcements made regarding the scholarship cancellation.

"As of June 2014, there was still no news from PSD on the opening of the PILN scholarship to non-bursary students.

"Their worst fears were confirmed when some of them went to PSD in July and was told that the PILN for non-bursary students had been cancelled because of the lack of funds," he added.

The Serdang MP also called on the government to have a consistent policy for PSD scholarships to give deserving students a fair chance.

"The government should have a consistent policy for PSD scholarships which allows for all applicants who fulfil the criteria to at least be called up for an interview so that they have the opportunity to demonstrate that they are deserving of a PSD overseas scholarship," he added.