{
  "id": 6363755,
  "title": "Kuota Bumiputera masih perlu tapi mesti bersasar, kata ahli akademik",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/kuota-bumiputera-masih-perlu-tapi-mesti-bersasar-kata-ahli-akademik",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T01:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/09/09/kuota-bumiputera-masih-perlu-tapi-mesti-bersasar-kata-ahli-akademik"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysian academic suggests university quotas for Malays and Bumiputera must be improved to better assist those in need, according to a report by FMT. PETALING JAYA: Quotas for university admission for Malays and Bumiputera are still necessary to narrow socio-economic and educational gaps, but their implementation needs to be more targeted. Anuar Ahmad, Deputy Rector of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute for Development and Advancement of Inclusiveness (Minda), said the quota system is still needed for now. \"The quota for this time is still necessary. Quota just needs to be more targeted, better planned and provided for the purpose of narrowing the gap in society,\" he told FMT. Ahmad discussed the statement made by Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, who said the education of Malays and Bumiputera should not continue to be dependent on quotas, but rather shift to building capabilities. Zambry said academic success can no longer be measured solely by the number of Malays and Bumiputera entering universities, but rather by their ability in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), creating technology, intellectual property and building global-level companies. Suhaiza Hanim Mohamad Zailani, Deputy Rector of the University Malaya's Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, said meritocracy is important but family background should also be considered. She said meritocracy alone can disadvantage B40 and M40 students who lack access to extra classes or tutoring. \"If we can provide a little flexibility in meritocracy, there should still be a certain percentage that takes into account family background,\" she said. She believes universities should remain an inclusive educational space as reducing quotas without addressing the education gap in schools could make the lower-income group more disadvantaged. She added that some B40 students are academically capable but forced to work after their Malaysia Certificate of Education (SPM) or help their family due to financial constraints, which hampers their chances of further education. Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, Senior Politics and International Relations Lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia, said the nation's education system now places more emphasis on merit rather than quotas. However, he believes the focus should shift from merely ensuring university access to providing quality education and nurturing the best talent. \"We want to nurture the best talent in Malaysia and Bumiputera. So, Malays and Bumiputera must also become the best and capable of becoming creators of knowledge, technology owners and economic pioneers,\" he said.",
  "summary": "Kuota masih relevan untuk merapatkan jurang tetapi pelaksanaan perlu lebih bersasar supaya manfaat sampai kepada golongan benar-benar memerlukan.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Kuota Bumiputera masih perlu tapi mesti bersasar, kata ahli akademik",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/kuota-bumiputera-masih-perlu-tapi-mesti-bersasar-kata-ahli-akademik-6369169",
        "published": "2026-09-09T01:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}