PSD Scholarships

Each year, at this time, we will hear the complaints from parents and students of their failure to secure a scholarship despite having excellent results. The Public Service Department (PSD) must be transparent and clear in the awarding of scholarships to Malaysians. The issue of deserving young Malaysians not getting scholarships to pursue a course in a university of their choice has been occuring for far too long. These include those who obtained 13 A1s and 14 A1s in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination who failed to get scholarships under the Foreign Degree Programme despite having secured places at foreign universities. The PSD should act firmly to ensure that the criteria used to select students for scholarships are consistent and strictly adhered to. There is absolutely no reason why a student who obtained excellent results and are among the top students in their respective states and the country should not be given scholarships to study overseas upon securing a place in a foreign university. Failure to honour these best brains in the country will only encourage them to work in other countries upon their graduation and this will put a damper on the government's efforts to encourage Malaysian professionals and experts to work in the country.