The Education Ministry needs to increase the Public Higher Education Institution (IPTA) intake this year to accommodate the increase in student applications, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

This is especially as students aiming to do higher education are "victims" of the ministry's online application system, which does not seem to have a standard set of requirements, Sim said.

"(Some of these students) have excellent CGPA, higher than (deputy international trade and industry minister) Ahmad Maslan, but they were not given any offers or they were offered a course they did not choose.

"But there are those who only got CGPA 1.92 and still got an offer from an IPTA," Sim pointed out.

The Higher Education Complaint and Advisory Portal (HEAP), which Sim ( photo ) is a panel member of, is willing to discuss with the Education Ministry to streamline its online application system.

"(Right now, the system) is all shrouded in secrecy. We don't know the algorithm (for how they make their decisions)," he said.

Looking at the weakening ringgit right now, he said it was difficult for students to further their studies in Private Higher Education Institutions (IPTS) as they might not be able to afford it.

Budget cuts

Sim admitted that the decrease in student intakes in IPTA is probably due to budget cuts in the Education Ministry, but he insisted that this should not be an excuse.

Selangor state executive council member Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad agreed with Sim.

"The most important investment for the country is education, regardless of the state of the economy," Nik Nazmi said.

He then extended an invitation to all students who did not receive offers from IPTA to apply Universiti Selangor (Unisel).

Sim implored the students to take on Nik Nazmi's offer, asking them to "continue to strive for higher education".