Provide long-term clarity on 30 pct Bumiputera equity rule, Tanjung Aru rep tells Education Ministry

KOTA KINABALU (Sept 23): Tanjung Aru assemblyman Datuk Junz Wong has called on the Education Ministry to provide long-term clarity on the removal of a minimum 30 percent Bumiputera equity ownership requirement for private educational institutions. The ministry recently announced it no longer considers the 30 percent ownership condition necessary for operating such institutions.

Wong welcomed the decision but urged the ministry to clarify whether policy documents and guidelines will formally be amended to reflect the change. He stressed that education operators need certainty rather than uncertainty about the policy environment. The requirement originated from the Private Educational Institutions Policy Statement Book published in 2006, Wong noted.

Wong questioned whether compulsory equity ownership remained the most effective mechanism to aid disadvantaged Bumiputera Malaysians. He argued assistance should target ordinary Bumiputera families and entrepreneurs who genuinely require support, rather than benefiting only those already privileged. Wong stressed this is not opposition to uplifting disadvantaged communities, but rather questioning the effectiveness of compulsory equity as the primary tool.

The Tanjung Aru MP proposed affirmative-action programmes should be targeted, transparent and demonstrably beneficial. He advocated for policies that build entrepreneurship, skills, capabilities and sustainable livelihoods through measures like improved access to financing, training, education and business opportunities. Wong said economic empowerment should help people build ownership, capability and businesses of their own.

He called for periodic policy reviews to determine if they still meet current needs. Wong noted the Education Ministry's intention to align with the sector's needs while keeping participation open. He suggested private education providers should be assessed based on the quality of education, teacher competence, student safety and compliance with the law.

Wong stressed the importance of periodically reviewing longstanding policies, rather than assuming they remain effective simply because they have been in place for many years. He proposed that policies genuinely benefiting disadvantaged Malaysians should be strengthened, while ineffective mechanisms should be improved.