Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice-chancellor Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar has openly admitted that his institution supports BN and Umno in an interview with a prominent Malay daily published today.

Sahol told Utusan Malaysia that UiTM supports BN and Umno because only the ruling party can preserve the future of the bumiputera in the country.

"UiTM supports BN and Umno because only BN can determine the future and the standing of Malays and the bumiputera in Sabah and Sarawak," he was quoted by the daily as saying.

NONE Sahol ( left ) was interviewed by Utusan in order to respond to recent calls by Suaram director Kua Kia Soong for UiTM to abolish its bumiputera-only enrolment policy because it violates the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which was made late last month.

But Sahol defended UiTM's policy, claiming that the institution "saved the country".

"Imagine if there is no UiTM. Maybe many Malays and bumiputera will be be poor. Malays may become slaves forever in their own land," he was quoted as saying.

He said that UiTM acts as a "balance" to the country's economy and also helped maintain racial harmony in the country.

He even took a swipe at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) while defending UiTM.

"Closing down UiTM means there would only be Utar, whose goal is to develop Chinese professionals. There is also a college in Sungai Petani that is owned by MIC. So, why do we want to question UiTM alone, aren't they also racists?" he asked.

"The opportunity to obtain education exists for all races, so the question of going against human rights or breaking any international conventions does not arise. UiTM exists to help bumiputera to compete fairly with others," he added.

He said that UiTM was the last line of defence to maintain the power and survival of Malays, and predicted that there will be some individuals who will try to weaken the last line of defence by "punishing Malays".