Like an annual sequel to a horror movie, we are again faced with the dilemma of top students being denied a government scholarship while others, allegedly without the required grades, not get these scholarships but also their choice of university courses.

All thanks to the entrenched subsidy mentality which the Public Services Department and its scholarships are part of. In my book, the PSD is an embarrassment in this age and time. In attempting a social re-engineering of sorts, it displays a blatant disrespect and disregard to human dignity, ethics and values.

This year, there are several cases of deserving students whose hopes for further studies have been mercilessly crushed by the PSD. Unfortunately for them, they are not children or members of parliament, state assemblypersons, the politically-connected or millionaires.

And while several other deserving students have been awarded PSD scholarships after intervention by the prime minister, this begs the questions whether the prime minister should from now on 'intervene' in all and sundry?

It is moments like these that I cannot help but wonder what's in store for my young children in the future.

The writer is the president of the Consumers Association Of Subang and Shah Alam, Selangor (Cassa).