Rita Jong, TMIThe young Malay political secretary to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang is being called a traitor to her race - all because she proposed that an institution like Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) be set up for non-Malays.
Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud has been heavily criticised by several quarters for even suggesting the idea, and has been labelled as "a Malay who does not know her history" by Umno leaders.
Umno Selangor state liaison chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar said Dyana Sofya has also been used by DAP and that she should understand the philosophy behind the setting up of UiTM which was founded by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara).
He also urged the young girl to read up on how DAP was set up with the help of PAP in Singapore.
"She should understand the background of DAP. Tunku Abdul Rahman himself was willing to exclude Singapore from Malaysia.
"The 'Malaysian Malaysia' slogan by PAP was clearly against our country's principle.
"She made a racist statement. She does not know her history and hence, she has no patriotic spirit. UiTM is clearly protected under Article 153 of the Constitution. This is our right. Don't question it," he told The Malaysian Insider when asked about Dyana Sofya's suggestion.
He said Malays had sacrificed a lot for other races, for example the Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) which has set a quota for non-Malay students to enrol in the college.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah echoed Noh's sentiment.
Saifuddin, who was also the former Higher Education deputy minister, said UiTM's objective was clear, that was to help Bumiputera students, especially those from rural areas.
He said this privilege should not be questioned, as there were 19 other higher learning institutions, which were open to other races with no entry quota limitations.
"Leave UiTM be. This university needs to play a role in helping Bumiputera youths. We don't see a need to open UiTM to other races.
"Some people said that the small group of non-Bumiputera students who entered UiTM would affect the Malay students' excellence. This, however, has no scientific evidence.
"There are many other institutions which focus on one race and still be successful, for example, Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar and Kolej Tuanku Kursiah. Both have excelled despite the dominance of Malay students," he said.
Saifuddin also said Malays had never questioned other non-Malay parties in setting up colleges or universities for themselves.
UiTM former vice-chancellor Tan Sri Ibrahim Abu Shah also took offence with Dyana Sofya's suggestion and said that Bumiputera students were still lagging behind compared to the achievements of other races.
He said the Malay students ratio based on critical learning fields was still low, hence UiTM was set up to bring a balance of expert workforce in Malaysia
"If UiTM accepts non-Bumiputera students, our country will deteriorate as there would not be an understanding between races in Malaysia.
"I don't see a need for this," said Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Kebangsaan (Perkasa) viewed Dyana Sofya as "young and naïve".
Its secretary-general, Syed Hasan Syed Ali, said without UiTM's policy in protecting the rights of the Malays, Dyana Sofya would not have been the product of UiTM.
"Over my dead body first. It is UiTM's education philosophy which has made her successful today," he told The Malaysian Insider.
Dyana Sofya, who hails from Ipoh, Perak, is a UiTM law graduate.
In fact, Lim, who is also the Gelang Patah MP, had personally announced her entry into DAP at a special media conference.
Last Sunday, Dyana Sofya told the media that a higher learning education institution like UiTM should be set up for non-Malays.
She had said she felt sorry for her non-Malay friends who were denied the right to pursue their education at higher learning institutions.
She had also said that the Malaysian education system should move past the race-based system and should be more need-based. - September 6, 2013.
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