Mara chair denies sponsorship offers to students based on 'connection'
The offer of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) study loans and sponsorship for students to pursue studies is based on criteria already set by the agency, especially on their excellent academic performance, said its chairperson.
Azizah Mohd Dun clarified that the selection of successful students is not based on favouritism or because their parents are VIPs or they have “connections”.
"Even if the students are children of VIPs, or from T20 families, if they are not...
The offer of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) study loans and sponsorship for students to pursue studies is based on criteria already set by the agency, especially on their excellent academic performance, said its chairperson.
Azizah Mohd Dun clarified that the selection of successful students is not based on favouritism or because their parents are VIPs or they have “connections”.
"Even if the students are children of VIPs, or from T20 families, if they are not eligible and do not meet the stipulated criteria, they will not be able to get the study loan or sponsorship," she told Bernama.
She was asked about comments on Twitter claiming some Mara-sponsored students were not eligible but got it because their parents are in the T20 group or due to connections instead of their academic performance.
Azizah (above) said the allegations posted on social media against Mara were inappropriate as the agency had been contributing to the development of the bumiputera in various aspects, including education.
Mara provides study loans and sponsorship to excellent students from preparatory programmes up to doctorate studies, she said.
She said as of January to Sept 30 this year, of the 50,555 Mara-sponsored students in the country and abroad, 89 percent or 44,994 of them were from the B40 group, while 10 percent or 5,055 were from the M40 group.
Only one percent or 506 students were from the T20 group, Azizah added.
The Beaufort MP said Mara received RM2 billion for development expenditure from the government this year, specifically for its education loan programmes.
The amount is to finance study loans for an estimated 60,000 students, comprising 35,000 existing students and 25,000 new students pursuing studies locally and abroad, she added.
- Bernama
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