KUCHING: The New Economic Policy (NEP) has succeeded in increasing the number of Bumiputera students entering institutions of higher learning, said Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman.

In this respect, Daud said, the policy was serving its purpose of balancing the social structure of society.

“This is because Bumiputeras are always left behind, especially those who are living in rural areas because of the economic structure that was established by the colonial masters for hundreds of years,” he said when launching Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Kuching’s graduation ceremony yesterday.

“And statistics have shown that a lot of non-Bumiputera are being accepted into universities to further their studies especially in courses such as Medicine and Engineering.”

Therefore, he said the increasing number of Bumiputera taking up science courses in universities proved that the economic policy being implemented now was best.

“As a result of the NEP, more Bumiputera students are doing their tertiary education in science subjects without jeopardising the number of the non-Bumiputera students.

“In this context, the government has successfully kept the economic social structure in balance and thus its policies should be supported by the rakyat,” said Daud.

He added that knowledge in science related fields such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, as well as information and communication technology would be a valuable asset for the state in the bid to achieve Vision 2020. Daud lamented the fact that some quarters believed the NEP should be abolished because it is seen as biased to other races.

“However, the government has foreseen the importance of implementing NEP to ensure the orderliness and peace in the country,” said Daud.

He explained that it is crucial for the government to keep the balance so that there will be no disharmony and uneasiness among the people in the country especially those who felt that they are not getting an equal slice of the economic cake.

“We want the future of our children and grandchildren to be in the country and the only way to do that is by ensuring our political stability,” he said.

Over 110 Form 5 students and 130 Form 3 students received certificates from Daud during the ceremony.

“I am proud with the education system of MRSM that doesn’t only stress on the high-quality of education but also to develop high-discipline among the students,” said Daud.

He commended MRSM for producing well-rounded students who are able to face the challenges of today’s world.

“The implementation of the CGPA system or cumulative grade point average to assess their students is very good because it will prepare the students when they further their studies in higher learning institutions.”