Political Power Enables Malays To Have Better Education - Malaysian PM

BERA (Pahang, Malaysia), March 11 (Bernama) -- The power being held by Barisan Nasional (National Front), the ruling government, which is spearheaded by UMNO (United Malays National Organisation), enables Malays and Bumiputeras to enjoy a better life including academically. Prime Minister Najib Razak said the 2017 Bumiputera Education Tour (JPB) Programme was clear proof that the government always viewed seriously the education of Malay and Bumiputera children especially from the low income group. "Why is the position of Malay and Bumiputera children including in Sabah and Sarawak and Orang Asli much better?...because of UMNO's struggle which brings changes including via the JPB programme. "Don't expect the opposition, headed by the DAP (Democratic Action Party), to implement such a programme. We must understand this. What we witness today cannot be separated from political power because it decides the possibility of everything taking place," he said. He said this in his speech when launching the 2017 JPB programme which was attended by 15,000 people at the Bera District Council Field here Saturday. The event was also attended by Chief Ministe Adnan Yaakob, Rural and Regional Development Minister-cum-2017 JPB mentor, Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Also present was JPB Main Committee chairman Prof Emeritus Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar. Najib said, without the JPB, it would be quite difficult for higher education institutions to open the opportunity to Malay and Bumiputera children from the poor group (B40) to obtain a second chance to change their future via higher education. "They have a desire to succeed, change their lot, and hoping for a chance, but if they are poor, and no chance is given, they will not have self-confidence. "Maybe, the fear of being rejected if the higher educational institution imposes excessively high condition," he said. Najib was also thankful to the JPB programme, which had helped 37,324 Bumiputera and Malay students enter higher education institutions in the country to date. Of the total, he said 20,370 qualified applications had been identified and accepted, while 16,954 students received direct offer letters from 11 educational institutions involved in the programme. He said the 2016 JPB programme was held for three months from March to May last year in 55 parliamentary areas of focus nationwide. In this regard, he hoped the 2017 JPB would enable 50,000 students to further their studies not only at public higher education institutions but also in skill training colleges and at technical and vocational-based study centres. "Since the National Transformation Policy was introduced, the number of highly-educated Bumiputera participation in the work force has risen from 1.89 million people to 2.64 million, namely, from 27.7 per cent in 2011 to 32.3 per cent in 2015. Bumiputera is a Malaysian term to describe the Malay race and other indigenous people in Malaysia. -- BERNNAMA