HINDRAF CALLS FOR ABOLISHMENT/REPEAL OF THE RACE BASED STPM EXAMINATION

Media Statement 9th June 2010

HINDRAF CALLS FOR ABOLISHMENT/REPEAL OF THE RACE BASED STPM EXAMINATION.

HINDRAF calls upon Prime Minister Najib to fully implement his 1 Malaysia concept by scrapping the STPM exams and let all students irrespective of race and religion sit for the matriculation examinations.

We want the UMNO led government to put an immediate stop to this racially segregated examination system and scrap the STPM examination altogether. There should only be one standard examination system for all. This will be the first step to eliminating racial segregation in the education system.

Article 12 (1) There shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the grounds only of religion, race, descent or place of birth –

in the administration of any educational institution maintained by a public authority, and, in particular, the admission of pupils or students or the payment of fees;

In line with Article 8 of the Federal constitution we call upon the UMNO led Government to respect the Federal constitution and implement a one-examination system for all students. One Malaysia should mean One examination for all. 1 Malaysia =1 Pre-University Exam.

We demand the government to stop this racial based examination and scrap STPM which is intended solely for the non Malays where the Government would be able to racially profile the non Malay muslim students and "slaughter" them permanently in their hopes of getting into the local universities.

UMNO led government is committing double jeopardy for the nation in this instance as intelligent and capable human capital is depleted by producing below par students through its race based matriculation and stunting those intelligent and highly calibre students through STPM.

HINDRAF questions the need for two Examinations. This is the ingenious way by which racial discrimination can be applied against the minorities of the country. Entrance to Universities is based on the end results of these two exams. There is a significant difference in the scope and depth of syllabi between the two Examinations. The scope and rigour is much less for the Matriculation program than for the two-year sixth form exam. The Matriculation program is thus rendered much easier than the sixth form program leading to the STPM. The net result is that the Matriculation program provides an easier path for the Bumiputera students to the more desirable University programs in the public Universities. This is an institutionalised and ingenious way to deny the minorities equal opportunities to affordable education in courses of their choice.

Affluent and economically able families recognizing this blatant discrimination opt to put their children through ‘A’ levels for under-graduate education abroad or in private universities locally, whereas the brilliant students of the poor, working class and middle class families are left to undergo this racially segregated STPM exam which kills off any dreams of their being significantly contributing professionals in Malaysia. Many of them end up taking up simple courses or become dropouts.

From past statistics, it is acknowledged that excellent students who score 10A’s -13 A’s in their SPM examinations do not fare well in the STPM exam because of the scope and depth of the body of knowledge. These students are particularly targeted in this racially segregated examination with standards deliberately set much higher than the Matriculation semester based exams and most of them are from the disadvantage sections of our society.

Hindraf is an organisation which champions for the poor underclass and voiceless community and we will continue to do so until the UMNO led government practices fairness to all irrespective of race, religion or color in line with the Federal constitution.

Thank you.

P.Waythamoorthy

Chairman

HINDRAF