COMMENT: When Malaysia was formed 52 years ago, the late Tun Jugah Anak Barieng expressed his fears that Malaysia might be like a sugar cane sweet in the beginning and less sweet towards the end.
In Iban he said: “Anang Malaysia tu ila baka tebu manis di pun, tang tabar di ujung”.
Even Chief Minister Adenan Satem has admitted that Sarawak has been treated as “anak tiri” (stepchild), and he wants to put a stop to it.
The latest figures on the awards of scholarships by the Public Service Department (JPA) and Mara to Sarawak students in the last 10 years indeed seem to indicate that Sarawak is being treated as a stepchild.
It is really shocking.
JPA awarded a total 13,139 scholarships to students to further their studies overseas in the last 10 years (2005 to 2015).
Of this figure, only 976 students came from Sarawak representing a meagre 7.4%.
For Mara scholarships over the same period, 20,054 students received their scholarships.
And only 535 students from Sarawak were awarded the scholarships, representing a miserable 2.7%.
The figures were given to the MP for Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen in Parliament recently.
The minister concerned refused to give Chong the racial breakdown of the Mara scholarship recipients who are Bumiputeras, including Malays and Dayaks from Sarawak.
The ratio must be very bad that he felt uncomfortable to provide the breakdown.
We must thank Chong for asking questions on the issue of scholarships awarded to Sarawak students.
In a statement Chong said: “Sarawak students are seriously shortchanged by the Barisan Nasional government in the award of Public Service Department (JPA) scholarships and Mara scholarships.
“Sarawak has a population of about 10% of the total population of Malaysia, and why are we getting only 7.4% and 2.7% of the scholarships for overseas studies awarded by JPA and Mara respectively.
“By right, Sarawak students should be getting at least 10% of the total scholarships awarded. If this percentage were adhered to, about an additional 2,000 Sarawak students would have enjoyed the opportunity to study overseas in the last 10 years.”
He said that due to the unfair allocation of overseas scholarships, 2,000 Sarawak students were deprived of this opportunity.
“Despite all the years of assurance and promises by the Barisan Nasional to develop Sarawak, this is yet another example of the BN’s discrimination against Sarawak.
“Had it not been me asking these questions, we will all still be kept in the dark, accepting the sweet assurance and promises of the BN leaders claiming that BN prioritises the development of Sarawak and its people,” he said.
Another important question that all Sarawakians must ask is that Sarawak has a Sarawakian, Joseph Entulu Belaun, who is the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of JPA.
Said Chong: “Why is he allowing this discrimination to continue?
“We also have other seven federal ministers from Sarawak, namely Douglas Uggah Embas, Idris Jala, Richard Riot Jaem, Fadillah Yusof, Rohani Abdul Karim, Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar and Nancy Shukri.
“What have they done to right the wrong, or to, at least, inform Sarawakians of the discrimination and unfair treatment?
“Are they hiding this information from Sarawakians and condoning the unfair treatment perpetuated against Sarawak by the BN Government?”
And what are the Barisan MPs from Sarawak doing in Parliament?
The Sarawak government and the chief minister must right the wrong and should see to it that starting 2016, Sarawak students get at least 30% of the overseas scholarships awarded by JPA and Mara TO MAKE up for the injustice that Sarawakians suffered in the past 10 years.
There are so many things that Adenan wants to do for Sarawak, including increased oil royalty, autonomy in education, more federal funds for Sarawak rural development and schools, and more Sarawakians to be trained as teachers.
But will Putrajaya listen to Adenan? -The Ant Daily
