The alleged dishing out of contracts to build Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campuses to politically-linked cronies should have Malay rights defenders up in arms, said an opposition politician.

But instead, PKR's Seri Setia assemblyperson Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad lamented there was deafening silence.

“Why are Umno leaders, who claim to be Malay champions, reaping these lucrative contracts?” he asked in a press statement yesterday.

“Where are the vocal NGOs ... like Isma, Jati and Perkasa which often say they defend Malay rights doing about this expose?”

Nik Nazmi was referring to an expose by PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli who alleged that six UiTM campuses were privatised to the tune of RM1.8 billion.

Rafizi also claimed that the federal government is forking out an additional RM8.6 billion in rent to utilise the campus buildings for the next 23 years.

Higher student fees

Nik Nazmi, who is also Selangor deputy speaker, added that such concession agreements could also jeopardise UiTM's ability to charge lower fees for its students who comprise solely bumiputera.

“Don't the defenders of Malays think this is a seriously? Or are they keeping their silence because is it profitable to some people?” he asked.

Rafizi ( left ) had named several Umno-linked individuals whom he claimed benefitted from the plum deals, but Malaysiakini is withholding their names pending their response.

Yesterday Education Minister Idris Jusoh shrugged off Rafizi's allegations, saying that the PKR parliamentarian did not back the claims with proof.