LETTER | The Education Minister has gone on air to qualify that the MyBrain postgraduate scholarships aimed to produce the 60,000 PhD brains for our nation will be put on hold.

Indeed, while it can be understood that the financial bungle of the preceding government has put tremendous pressure on the new government to cancel, revamp or put on hold education aid, the minister needs to consider one crucial factor.

Master’s degree holders who have sacrificed jobs and begun the journey to complete their doctorates while relying on the financial support promised earlier should not be victimised.

If we as a nation can put our hands together to raise millions through the Tabung Harapan, let us not take short sighted shortcuts by punishing those citizens determined to pursue higher education to meet the nation's human capital needs of tomorrow.

The least the minister is obliged to fulfil is to ensure that those who have embarked on the PhD programmes already be given the scholarships.

Meanwhile, future applications can be put on hold until the country can better afford financial relief.

The minister must be aware of this appeal made in the interest of the hundreds of Malaysians who have embarked on their PhD programmes.

Hopefully Malaysians and local media will bring to the fore this concern for the benefit of a better and future Malaysia.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.