DAP’s P Ramasamy today criticised Education Minister Maszlee Malik for linking the matriculation quota with what the minister alleges is unfair employment practices for bumiputras in the private sector.
Calling it shocking for Maszlee to link the two issues, Ramasamy who is Penang deputy chief minister II said any issue regarding bumiputera employment in the private sector should be taken to the Cabinet for a solution to be raised.
“Why is he raising the matter in public?
“Does he want to score some political points with a predominantly Malay crowd?
Ramasamy added that the employment of Chinese and Indians is limited in the public sector.
He said by the same logic, Maszlee ought to look at the racial imbalance in the civil service, where the bumiputera form the majority in government offices.
“Can Maszlee take the initiative to change the quota system since the bumiputras constitute the vast majority of employees?”
Ramasamy added that a recent survey had shown that the Indians face the most discrimination in both the public and private sectors.
“After he (Maszlee) said much on the colour of school shoes and the weight of bags, he seemed to have nothing much to add in terms of forward-looking policies to propel the education system,” Ramasamy said.
Maszlee told a student forum yesterday that the quota system would remain until the government successfully addresses the racial imbalance of students pursuing higher studies, and until the job market is more fair to hiring bumiputera graduates.
He claimed the job market has been discriminating against non-Mandarin speakers as well as those wearing the Muslim headscarf.
“After Pakatan Harapan won, some of us thought the racial policies in education and other areas would belong to the bygone era.
“But now, there is a realisation that some of our ministers like Maszlee are no different from the Barisan National-era politicians who used race and religion to ensure their political survival.”