{
  "id": 6376081,
  "title": "Bumi quotas still needed but must be targeted, says academic",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/bumi-quotas-still-needed-but-must-be-targeted-says-academic",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T02:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/09/bumi-quotas-still-needed-but-must-be-targeted-says-academic"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Anuar Ahmad, deputy director of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Malaysia and International Studies, advocates for improving the quota system to ensure it genuinely benefits those who need it. Quotas for Malay and Bumiputera students at higher education institutions remain necessary to address socioeconomic and educational disparities, but they should be more targeted and better planned. In the long term, transitioning from quotas to capacity-building requires strategic planning and a phased approach to prepare society for the shift, according to Ahmad.\n\nUniversiti Malaya's Suhaiza Hanim Zailani emphasizes the importance of meritocracy while acknowledging the role of family background. She suggests that a purely merit-based system could disadvantage B40 and M40 students who lack access to extra classes or tuition. Introducing flexibility into meritocracy, while maintaining a certain percentage based on family background, could help address this issue.\n\nUniversiti Utara Malaysia's Azizuddin Sani notes that Malaysia's education system is increasingly prioritizing merit over quotas. However, he argues that the focus should shift from merely ensuring access to universities to providing quality education and developing the best talent. Malay and Bumiputera students should aim to become knowledge creators, technology owners, and economic leaders, according to Sani.",
  "summary": "Anuar Ahmad also says that the shift from quotas to capacity-building must be carefully planned and phased to prepare society.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Bumi quotas still needed but must be targeted, says academic",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/bumi-quotas-still-needed-but-must-be-targeted-says-academic-6376770",
        "published": "2026-09-09T02:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}