Like its partners in the ruling Barisan Nasional government, Parti Gerakan is seeking reform of the controversy-ridden meritocracy-based university entrance examination system.

Vice-president Dr S Vijayaratnam said changes could be introduced gradually by implementing a common examination or by opening up the matriculation programme to all students regardless of their ethnic background.

Not based on race

He said Gerakan has always been of the opinion that a 'needs-based meritocracy' should be put in place.

This, he said, would enable assistance to those students who have a disadvantaged socio-economic background.

"It (the system) should certainly not be based on race," he said when contacted by malaysiakini .

Vijayaratnam, who is also a senator, explained that a 'needs-based system' is essential to ensure that students from rural areas do not lose out in the competition for places in universities.

"Students should be given the option to choose the course they want - matriculation or STPM - without being limited in their choices," he said.

STPM is a two-year course with Cambridge University Examination Board representatives as external examiners, while matriculation, almost exclusively reserved for bumiputera students, is an in-house and one year course.

Other equivalent examinations include that set by the Universiti Malaya's all-bumiputera Pusat Asasi Sains (Centre for Basis Sciences).

The government announced last year that 10 per cent places of the matriculation programme would be offered to non-bumiputera students.

Right direction

Vijayaratnam acknowledged, however, that the Education Ministry has been "trying very hard to (implement) reform over the past few years".

He cited the introduction of the meritocracy system since last year for intake into public universities as an example.

"It is not so easy to do the job... the civil service is so used to the old system. I think the ministry is moving in the right direction," he said.

Many quarters have questioned the effectiveness of the current system after non-bumiputera student intake dropped lower than 45 percent.

The previous quota-based system under the 1970 New Economic Policy offered 45 percent of available places to non-bumiputera students, with the rest being reserved for bumiputera students.

'Double standards'

Last Thursday, the Gerakan publicity bureau deputy chief Khoo Swee Kon rapped the current system as one of "double standards" that has numerous drawbacks for students.

He was responding to a reminder from Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahamd Badawi two days earlier to bumiputera students not to rely on the tongkat (walking stick) provided by the government but to prepare to face the "real world" which runs on meritocracy.

"We urge the Education Ministry to revise the current system immediately and implement a genuine meritocracy-based system on student intake into public universities," Khoo said in a statement.

Gerakan said the policy was not in accordance with the "principle of fair competition" because it compares results obtained from different examination systems - STPM, matriculation and other equivalent examinations - to determine successful candidates.

This year, the ministry has received more than 1,000 complaints mainly from non-bumiputera candidates who did not get a place in university or were not offered courses of their choice despite having obtained good results.

DAP, MCA and MIC have voiced their concerns and proposed that the system be replaced with a common university entrance examination.

Two weeks ago, DAP Socialis Youth submitted a six-point proposal to the ministry on reforming the university entrance system.

MCA and its youth wing's education bureau have called for the matriculation course to be opened to all students.

Media reports also said MIC chief S Samy Velly has met with Education Minister Musa Mohamed to discuss the low percentage of Indian Malaysian students entering public universities.