Could meritocracy as regards to university entry be a good idea? Can examination results alone define what meritocracy is?

Take for example, a rich man's son who studies at a premier school and takes tuition from the best tuition centre in the city. He has the best of nutrition to sustain his bodily needs. He scores 9As in the SPM examination.

On the other hand, there is a poor kampong boy who has to go to school on foot, which is five kilometres away from his house. He has a scanty breakfast each morning. By the time he comes home, it's already late in the afternoon. He is exhausted.

But his mom asks him to tend to the animals and fetch water from the well. He studies under a flickering kerosene lamp. To reach the nearby town takes two days on foot. There is no TV, telephone, let alone handphones.

This boy managed to get a Grade 3 for his SPM.

Who will Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang pick as the smarter boy - the rich man's son or the poor kampong boy?

In all fairness, meritocracy can only be implemented if the background of each student is taken into consideration. Meritocracy just by the examination results alone would be a travesty of justice.