Tuesday, May 20, 2008

PSD Scholarships

Without fail, we will face this issue every year. 10As, 11As, god-knows how may As will write in the newspaper and complain that they will are being discriminated by some "upper hands" who tends to award overseas scholarship to undeserving "son of the soil". Standard arguments raised would be things like "...he/she only scores 4As, 5As"... " politically-connected family"... "high income parents".

I guess sometimes it just gets to me when these things are being brought up every single year. No, this time I am not going to join the PSD bashing but I think the people who are complaining and the political parties who are riding on the issues should really stop acting like victims.

Come on, its not like there are a handful of these 10As.... I think it comes to about a few thousands! The PSD DG explained it in an interview in one of the sunday papers that while academic score may consist 70% of the total mark for selection, the remainder 30% should not be totally ignored.

Obviously a few thousand will score 70% for the academic marks but with competition so stiff, it will take more than "being active in school activities" to tip the balance. You need to be really outstanding. Period.

Please dont forget about the interview session too. Sometimes you may do well in both the academic and the extra curricular activities but if you cant carry yourself well, then, sorry... other people who are better than you deserve it.

Please, stop making it a racial thing. It has come to an extend where if bumiputras were to obtain scholarship, there are "whispers" that "yea, must be some crony/well connected politician etc...".

Meritocracy is alive and well. Just because a bumiputera managed to secure a PSD scholarship, its automatically "a racial thing" again. Are you saying we are that DUMB ?

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