SUBANG JAYA – Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has concerns over which party will be chosen to establish Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) pay schools, following its potential funding through private-financing initiatives (PFI).
Syed Saddiq took his concerns to Facebook, where he posted a video questioning the proposal’s necessity, and whether the project’s financing will be handed to trusted parties.
“What is the need (for this project)? Because we already have more than 180 private and international schools in Malaysia.
“Who will get this PFI project? Will it be as lopsided as before?”
The former youth and sports minister cited an article reporting a former Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman who was charged with corruption.
He also directed a question to Mara, asking whether the agency is planning to focus on business, despite several failed attempts in the past.
This came after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s response in Dewan Rakyat regarding the establishment of MRSM pay schools.
The Umno president said proposals for the establishment would not involve government allocations, and would instead use the PFI system and collaborations with financial institutions.
Syed Saddiq, who is Muda president, clarified that his questions were not intended to lambast the government, but as an MRSM alumnus himself.
“Without Mara, it would be impossible for me to be (where I am now). I want to ensure that Mara does not run from its original purpose to help poor families,” he said.
Previously, Mara chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki in a Facebook post suggested the government establish a paid version of MRSM for the elite group in Malaysia, which sparked ire from netizens.
The former Umno Youth chief said the establishment would not be exclusive for students in the T20 bracket, as about 30% of the students come from the B40 group and were sponsored by corporate bodies. – The Vibes, March 25, 2023
