Posted on by Kit

Which is Malaysia’s premier university? Nobody knows!

Which is the Malaysian premier university?

Nobody knows and this is a big shame as it is caused not by competition by universities to be the best but to avoid the bigger plunge in international rankings.

Is it University of Malaya?

Until two years ago, there was no dispute if University of Malaya claimed to be the nation’s premier university — a position it had occupied unchallenged for over three decades.

It was also internationally recognized as the premier university in Malaysia as reflected by the 2004 and 2005 Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) World Universities Rankings for Top 200 Universities, being positioned No. 89 and 169th slots respectively.

However, it was toppled from the pedestal by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) when UKM beat University of Malaya in the 2006 THES ranking, placed No. 185 as compared to the 192nd position for University of Malaya.

Is it UKM then?

UKM’s placing on the top of the university pole in the country lasted one short year as in the 2007 THES Top 200 Universities ranking, UKM plunged a shocking 124 places from No. 185 to No. 309, not only behind University of Malaya’s No. 246 but also Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) which is placed No. 307.

Furthermore, in the recent government ranking for public universities, both UKM and University of Malaya were ranked behind USM, the sole university to be placed on the five-star Outstanding category, with no university rated for the top-rung Excellent Category.

Is it then USM, to lay claim to be the nation’s best university?

Not so, although in the 2004 THES ranking, USM was rated among the Top 200 Universities when placed No. 111, but it plunged 215 places to No. 326 ranking in 2005, 277 in 2006 and 307 in 2007.

With no single university currently able to lay claim as the nation’s premier university, this sad state of affairs is a reflection of the very troubled public university sector.

May be this confusion awaits resolution when a private higher education institution establishes its claim as the nation’s premier university, better than anyone of the public universities — especially as the Chinese government has recognized 43 private universities and colleges as compared to only seven for public universities.

One aspect which had been overlooked in the latest THES Top 200 Universities ranking is that Malaysia is losing out badly in the international competition for excellence, not only to universities of developed nations but even those of developing nations.

Thailand, for instance, has established its superiority in university excellence to Malaysia when for three consecutive years, Chulalongkorn University of Thailand beat Malaysian universities in the THES ranking –121 in 2005, 161 in 2006 and 223 in 2007 as compared to Malaysia’s best of 169 in 2005 (University of Malaya), 185 in 2006 (UKM) and 246 in 2007 (University of Malaya).

Also for the first time in the THES Top Universities Ranking, Malaysia has lost out to three other third-world nations, viz.

Brazil

University of Sao Paulo — No. 175

University of Campinas – No. 177

Mexico

Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico — No. 192

South Africa

University of Cape Town — No. 200

The only way to restore Malaysia’s pre-eminence in university excellence is to end the policy of mediocrity and its replacement by a policy of meritocracy, with the recruitment of the best students and lecturers for each university coupled with an affirmative policy not based on race but on socio-economic needs.

Otherwise, Malaysian universities will continue to be left more and more behind other countries, including from third-world countries, in the global race for university excellence.

(Speech at the DAP Petaling Jaya dinner on Tuesday, 20th November 2007 at 10 pm)

84 Replies to “Which is Malaysia’s premier university? Nobody knows!”

  3. Limkokwing Creative University is the most international of Malaysia’s universities. It has campuses in London, Cyberjaya, Kuching, Gaborone, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Beijing, and is opening one in New York in 2008.

    It is the only university in the world with fully-operational campuses in a total of four countries. The school works with the International Consortium of Partner Universities to maintain the school’s standards. Representatives from these institutions form the core of the university’s Quality Assurance Board and make regular visits to the university.

    Very soon this Creative University will enter the top 200 Universities and put the more established ones to shame.

    But in terms of world popularity, it is Multi Media University (MMU) that beats everyone of the established universities coming out at number 182 worldwide. None of the Research universities, Apex universities or whatever one would like to call them, come close to its ranking. This must say something of these universities’ “popularity”. See

    http://www.4icu.org/top200/

  4. USM: 2005, 326; 2007, 307
    UKM: 2005, 289; 2007, 309
    UM: 2005, 169; 2007, 246

    Based on the above figures, we can see that USM is the most improved public U in Malaysia (between 2005 and 2007).

    Irrespective of the criteria used, UM is most consistent, plunging from 89th in 2004 to 169th in 2005, 192nd in 2006, and 246th in 2007. We know what to expect in 2008.

  5. A possible explanation why UM is plunging.

    UM used to have a high percentage of non-bumiputra academic staff. However, since late 1970s, only a handful of non-bumiputra academic staff members have been employed. Since then, the number of bumiputra academic staff has been on the increase. In recent years, many non-bumiputra academics had retired or left.

    These days, 70% or more of the academics at our public universities are bumiputras.

    USM and UKM are catching up or surpassing UM. This means that, in general, the bumiputra academics at USM and UKM are better than the bumiputra academics at UM.

  7. USM the best among the worst. Shiok sendiri in this bodohland. I knew of one so call associate professor in the engineering faculty of this university whom can’t even solve a simple form five level mathematics question. Another 3rd class degree holder spent a few years in USM to get a PhD and eventually became a lecturer upon completing her post grad.
    How dare you all say Malaysia U no standard when we had coconaut doing research ala tumpang taxi to space. NEP boleh.

  8. I wonder where’s Universiti Teknologi MARA(UiTM) rankings? Talking about Ketuanan Melayu and slogan chanting such as CEMERLANG, GEMILANG, TERBILANG that will improved the quality of education for UiTM.

    I guess the Malay students in UiTM do not care about the rankings and the quality of their degrees as long as UMNO continue to spoonfeed them. An easy route for them in UiTM like they will just study a one year matriculation course instead of 2 years STPM for the rest and no CLP exams for their law graduates, whereas foreign law graduates have to undergo for CLP exams, famous for the failure rate seems to have grip their happy-go-lucky education success. After all, they will all ended up working for the government civil service and government-link-companies(GLCs) for their unemployment in the ever competitive private sectors.

    And I guess the quota system, NEP and Ketuanan Melayu are here to stay. Not only in education, but across the board. Forever.

  12. phark lar will said “Aku tak tahu” and SIL will said ” I can’t tell you not because I’m STUPID, but because I don’t know, and nobody really knows.” Later Nazi will said ” THES racist racist racist and bodoh bodoh bodoh” follow by one-eye-jack ” la…tutup satu mata lar” but then binatangan will continue “THES sudah bocor”.

    Ever since the denial syndrome was detected among the cabinet minister with the major carrier is phark lar, the cabinet will still dreaming an ideal Malaysia for the Malays while waiting for durian runtuh by sitting in the office. Premier University?

    wait until the phark lar lay his hand off from the university and let it run as it should be. Yes, this is the greatest challenge that the rakyat is facing. it could be just a dream, and it could be reality in the near future? depends on our vote in the coming election. i repeat election, not erection. And i dun need phark lar and Zam to tell me that i can have erection for every 5 years.

  13. Some years ago I applied to do my masters with a local university with a national in its name. First I have to buy their form which I did, after filling up all your papa, mama and siblings name ,I have to to send further RM30.00 for processing. That was as stated some years back and they are still processing.
    In the meantime I applied to a down under university and no fees, no papa mama story to fill up except my academic credentials. Within a week I was told of my admission. Two years down I have been admitted to Masters’.
    The proof is in the pudding!

  14. really? well, everything they do they will charge (processing fees) but service as lousy worst than a turtle.

    all the U in malaysia need a total revamp from the administration to the lecturer and examination.

  15. But in terms of world popularity, it is Multi Media University (MMU) that beats everyone of the established universities coming out at number 182 worldwide. None of the Research universities, Apex universities or whatever one would like to call them, come close to its ranking. This must say something of these universities’ “popularity”. See

    http://www.4icu.org/top200/

    ============================================

    Rankings by web popularity means nothing to academic performance and quality.

    Tomorrow local public universities can pay someone to boost the web popularity ranking to top 10.

  16. Anti_NEP Says:

    November 21st, 2007 at 13: 56.31
    USM the best among the worst. Shiok sendiri in this bodohland. I knew of one so call associate professor in the engineering faculty of this university whom can’t even solve a simple form five level mathematics question. Another 3rd class degree holder spent a few years in USM to get a PhD and eventually became a lecturer upon completing her post grad.
    How dare you all say Malaysia U no standard when we had coconaut doing research ala tumpang taxi to space. NEP boleh.

    ==========

    This kind of NEP deadwoods problem is widespread in all local universities.

    A local u put a diploma holder as tutor for a degree course. I have to “teach” this malay tutor the basic when he joined my class as a degree student.

    NUS requires master degree for its tutors.

  18. I knew of one so call associate professor in the engineering faculty of this university whom can’t even solve a simple form five level mathematics question.

    By Anti_NEP

    ________________________________________________________

    You have got to be kidding me right? I know the standard is very bad, but this is just down right ridiculous. What is this guy’s name anyway? It would be good if you can dig up names.

  19. For your info, some of these so-called associate professors did not take/fared badly in Additional Mathematics in Form 5, then were allowed to pursue the easy matriculation program, which allows them to continue degrees/masters/PhDs. So don’t be so surprised. And that’s why the buildings collapsed on their own in Perak

  20. I thought our local u have grab many overseas awards by ways of participating in the so call paid invention exhibition. Can’t we just pay them to batter the annual ranking??? Am sure they know how to do it. Malaysia Boleh!!!

  22. What to expect! There is not a single non-bumi Vice Chancellor in all the public universities and therefore one can imagine what type of Professors and Associate professors we are having there in order to accomodate the quota systems.

  23. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) does not admit non-Malays as its students. A former Education Minister once declared that non-Malays will be admitted into UiTM over his dead body. I wonder if he is still alive.

    Now, as if not enough places for Malay students, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (Unitar) is fully owned by Umno.

    These two universities will be ranked in THES soon.

  24. If you run through the qualifications of the tutors, lecturers, professors of most Malaysian universities, you will find that many of them are graduates of each other’s university. You know, MU employs UKM who employ USM who employs UITM who employs UTM who employs UMMM graduates who employs University of Perlis etc etc. and everyone has very good CGPAs from each other.

    You know what standards are like. You also know what in-breeding will result in. So why are we all surprised? And what can we do if the government just simply refuse to do anything to save this sinking boat or to recognise that there is a problem? To them, everything is fine and rosy. Everything’s is perfect and in tip-top shape here, you know.

  26. What we see now are the fruits sown by our leaders. The drop in standard did not happen over a year but it has been in decline over decades, this cover up has been going on for a long time only now it is surfacing. By implementing meritocracy or other forms of reform we are only treating the symptoms and not the illness. Perhaps the gov could plead THES-QS and the rest of the world to accept the NEP so that our Us can be rated the ‘earth way’ and the ‘princes of the earth’ be give special preferences in the international arena as well. Stone Age here we come!!!

  27. NOBODY KNOWS, AND NOBODY CARES…

    We have been complaining about the uneven playing field for 30 years. As long as UMNO can afford to use taxpayers’ funds to employ what is now generally regarded as unemployable local graduates, the uneven playing field will be there. Don’t waste your time spitting into the wind. Beg, or borrow to send your children overseas. They will have a much better future. Do not condemn them to an uncertain future in Bolehland.

    The system will implode only when they can’t sustain the employment of local graduates. Given that they control the funding, the situation will persist until they run out of funds. I predict that it will happen in about 10 years, but not anytime soon.

  30. Malaysia without oil reserve is worst than any Asean countries. 1/3 of public expenditure is from oil money is an untold fact and every Malaysia is brainwashed that 6++% growth is from the genuine wealth creation. In reality the growth maybe 1-3% without the support of oil money.

    When Malaysia oil reserve is depleted in 10 years time, where the government can get the money to pay millions of bumi deadwoods?

  31. Oh for heavens sake! Limkokwing Creative University is another product of Malaysian businessman who was a former cartoonist who did not even have any tertiary education, but was a good friend of the former PM.

    How many real educationists are there in LKW Uni? Check out the administrators of this varsity – they were former secretary, office administrator and accountant of Lim Kok Wing! Hell man, this guy is still scamming all his students into believing they are getting real education there.

    http://www.limkokwing.edu.my/v6/university/president/talented.asp

    Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lim Kok Wing – he must be the only professor without a tertiary education!

    And as expected, his academic board is never mentioned in the website – all without any academic credentials. Anything they might have today, was honorary – given by LKW himself, I was told.

    TDM gave this guy an inch and he made full use of it and the Uni is the by product of our rotten system. Don’t ever believe what you hear about this so-called-creative-university.

    Ask the Australians from Curtain University who first came to Malaysia to help setup the then Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology – they will curse and swear at the then Dato Lim Kok Wing.

  35. I was once heard that UM law graduate student applied to a clerk job just because he couldn’t speak a fluent/proper english….

    What a joke… what are we producing here? Probably this explains why our Universities ranking drop.

  36. zack Says:

    November 21st, 2007 at 15: 28.42
    bumi at U reasons for all this? ….Racist !!!!!!!!

    ===

    NEP-racist calls others racist is a joke.

    I was a product of local u and can tell you 80-90% bumi enrolled to local universities are not qualified.

    Also 90% of so-called professors, and coincidently 90% of them are Malay. They are deadwoods and would never get employed as professor outside Malaysia.

  37. Back to basic of education, Malaysia need at least 20 yrs to back to correct track….the worst thing is we can only shout here…write in the blog and improve urself instead to wait the country to improve…it is sad man….
    As many times I said in the blog
    http://2hard2lie.blogspot.com
    the ranking refelects the reality the most based on the THES new methodology….so previous yr ranking is ‘fake’.we make in to higher ranking….local Uni standard never drop…u know why..it has been so bad for many yrs..not recent yrs….
    If Lim Kit Siang really read this comment, I really hope u think of something to make ur DAP stronger and win more seats in future polls….and come to setiawangsa n titiwangsa….i hate PAS

  38. Folks,

    Why are you complaining about our universities!!

    We, Malaysians are smart and intelligent.

    Why so???

    Ok, I give you guys one simple example:

    The Americans, Russians, Chinese all put in the research and built their own rocket technologies and sent their astronauts to space/moon etc. We, Malaysians bypassed all that. We just buy a ticket and hitched a ride! Why bother to build and invent our own rocket when we can short circuit the entire process??

    I hope we will make the world largest popiah soon as I really believe this big cook out will show the world that Malaysia really boleh.

  39. “If Lim Kit Siang really read this comment, I really hope u think of something to make ur DAP stronger and win more seats in future polls….and come to setiawangsa n titiwangsa….i hate PAS” – chgchksg128

    You hate PAS?? Tok Guru threatened you with a keris? Or maybe issued racist remarks?

    Yes, go ahead and vote BN, then come back here and moan for the next 5 years.

  41. “Mind you, out of the millions of universities in the world, to be one of the best 500 is good enough.” – MASHHOR MANSOR, Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, NST Online Letters 2007/11/21.
    ——————
    As large as the US is, it has only about 5000 universities/colleges.
    How did he come up with “millions of universities in the world”?
    Unless, he included all schools from kindergarten to universities. Even then you don’t get a million in the world.
    That means that in order to say Malaysian universities are among the best in the world, they have to compare with the kindergarten kids as well.

  42. # dawsheng Says:
    November 22nd, 2007 at 00: 03.52

    DAP should set up University of Rocket.

    =======

    Nice idea man, nothing is impossible. If the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation can built and run so many hospitals and schools in Taiwan base on its supporter donation money, why can’t DAP set up a University of Rocket? And best of all, the founder of Tzu Chi Foundation is a nun, Master Cheng Yen! If she can do it, why can we?? YB LKS, if you really want to win the Chinese people heart, you should strike at the bulls eye, which is the EDUCATION.

    If you can successfully built and run a Uni then beats all the stupid one in Malaysia especially MCA’s uni (UTAR), confirm lots of Chinese people will support you. This is the best time to do it since our local uni is typically useless ……….. .

  43. I am very surprised that Indian Institute of Technology is not in their top 200 list. Microsoft waits at its doors to snap up graduates. maybe its a pure engineering college so its not ranked….

    UM medical school used to be highly ranked in 70’s and early 80’s and was recognised worldwide. But now it is not recognised anywhere outside malaysia. So this tells u something.

  44. Consistent with BN(BraiNless) government way of ruling.

    Our uni ranking are being compared to those that are doing worse…

    Comparing with Myanmar and Pakistan, of course M’sia boleh lah!

    If compared to Singapore, Taiwan, Korea? People are laughing at us la!

    Best part is, BN is still very happy for being better than Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and other 3rd world countries.

    Clearly BN is having 4th world mindset! As long as we are not last… They’ll settle for 2nd last!

    We’re moving backwards in fastmotion and they’re proud of it! Pening!

  45. as traveller pointed out:
    “Mind you, out of the millions of universities in the world, to be one of the best 500 is good enough.” – MASHHOR MANSOR, Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, NST Online Letters 2007/11/21.
    ——————

    This kinda thinking is the exact reason why their ranking is plummeting. Next 1-2 years, the bodoh Mansor will change his statement and state “……best 1000 is good enough”

  47. gentlemen, our universities plight is actually far worse than what the THES ranking (for whatever year u care to choose) says. this is simply because the THES ranking itself has serious flaws. for one, it has put too much weight (40%) on ‘peer review’ which not only is very subjective but what’s worse, very biased in THES.
    on the other hand, the measure that is objective and can truly capture the ‘greatness’ of a university is the ‘citation/faculty’ criterion and this is accorded only 20%. what irony!
    that is why gentlemen, the THES rankings have been wildly fluctuating since it’s inception.
    for these reasons, i very ‘kuar soi’ (look down on) the THES ranking and rely totally on the ‘shanghai jiaotung world universities rankings’ which is based on internationally recognised publications/citations and awards like nobel prize/field medals.
    (versus kampong publications or gold medals from paid exhibitions overseas).
    not surprisingly, for the 4 or 5 years that the SHJT rankings have been in existence, NO malaysian university has ever appeared in the TOP 500!!! (while NUS which scores highly in THES only manages a top 101-150 position.)
    The SHJT ranking is very stable.
    So gentlemen, please don’t be duped by Mr.THES and start to believe that we really have 4 universities in the Top 500, ha ha ha!!!

  48. “…80-90% bumi enrolled to local universities are not qualified.” Malaysiatoday.com
    ____________________________________________________

    I feel sorry for those 10 – 20% Malays who have the necessary qualifications and graduated from local universities. I have a Malay classmate in my secondary school class who eventually graduated as a doctor from University Malaya. I will have no hesitation in choosing her to be my family doctor. Unfortunately for those qualified Malays, they have to bear the sin of the NEP.

  49. twistedmind Says:

    November 21st, 2007 at 21: 49.14
    BTW. I seriously think our colleges churn out better graduates then our public universities. Just ask the people who hire workers – the proof is in the pudding. Do a study

    =============

    In a survey said most employable local graduates are from UTM and MMU, may be they are from engineering field.

    I doubt local private universities can churn out better quality graduates. My reasonings are simple, those students in local private universities are not “smart” stock generally and local universities’ teaching staff are not “world-class” with limited funding available to them.

    Another reason for deteriorating quality is due to mass production modus operandi. In my old days, only a handful of top students in a school got chance to enter u unlike today.

    Besides English proficiency issue, many companies also found that many local graduates are immature, dependent, lack of resourceful minded, etc.

    My friend in Penang did interview a gold award winner from a local u. He was shock when she replied him that she could not answer his question because her lecturerd had never taught her in the class. No rational boss would employ such an immature graduate no matter how good her academic result.

  50. While some of you may be conflicted about whether to throw away your paper degrees, some may have what it takes to go to the United States. For those few who have what it takes, please visit the other thread “NEP and brain drain of accountants” to find out if you qualify.

    Good luck!

  51. kanthanboy Says:

    November 22nd, 2007 at 05: 13.36
    “…80-90% bumi enrolled to local universities are not qualified.” Malaysiatoday.com
    ____________________________________________________

    I feel sorry for those 10 – 20% Malays who have the necessary qualifications and graduated from local universities. I have a Malay classmate in my secondary school class who eventually graduated as a doctor from University Malaya. I will have no hesitation in choosing her to be my family doctor. Unfortunately for those qualified Malays, they have to bear the sin of the NEP.

    ====================

    There are smart and brillant Malay students as non-bumi students.

    Unfortunately, the majority of those Malay students enroll to local universities are below par under the matrikulasi ticket.

    An UMNO minister said a “grade A” in STPM is equal to “A” in matrikulasi is a joke only from shameless people.

  52. Why don’t we start community based self-help group? All this talk is … well just talk.

    Dear Mr Lim Kit Siang, since this site is obviously popular. Why don’t you add Ad-sense from Google into your pages. Give it a try.

    Then if there are proceeds, it can be used as the seed to do something tangible.

    Thinking out loud.

  53. A bit more about self help group. In my uncle lee’s country, the self-help organisations are organised by the major races in his country. Currently there are 3 groups.

    Each race will donate money to their own race’s organisation. Now in my uncle lee’s country, it is more automated (nobody can escape).

    It is deducted from your salary every month automatically. The minimum amount is $1. Nobody is exempted from this minimum deduction.

    In the case of Malayasia, it should be administer by the independent organisations that are beyond reproach.

    Is there one willing to stand up and be counted? Can one be formed?

    Talk is cheap but it is the beginning of the execution.

    If you want to see a living example of self-help that built a university, there is one in Singapore. It is started by donations from the a lot of people.

    It is called Nanyang Technological University.

  54. When one is given an opportunity, one must take full responsibility to ensure one achieve the very best and work very hard to pay back and contribute to the society.

    Decades of bad leadership and role models are doing enormous damage to the society and country.

  55. ChinNA:

    How long have you been living in Bolehland ? You reckon that we can just go on a fundraising exercise to set up our own uinversity ? For over 30 years, shameless UMNO have controlled education for their political ends. It took MCA over 30 years to get approval for UTAR, and even then there were concessions extracted from MCA e.g. remaining mute over annual intake in other universities. You think that an opposition-inspired university will get approved ? You think that they will allow us the opportunity of producing world class graduates in comparison to their jaguh kampung ? Stop dreaming.

    The only way is to help them accelerate the rot so that the system implodes from within. Let them have 100 pct bumi intake. Let them market university places to countries in Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The social issues will ultimately kill the goose.

    In the meantime, our kids should go overseas. Or at least enroll in the local campuses of foreign universities like Monash and Nottingham.

    All this talk is not in vain. The more we criticise, the more they stand resolute in doing things their way. It is their “bodoh sombong” attitude. It will simply accelerate the day of reckoning when the unemployed will turn on their masters.

  56. Frankly, I wouldn’t recommend anybody to enter any Malaysian university until way past 2015, depending on what steps the government takes to bring these universities to world speed. You can’t train or re-train or re-staff whole faculties in 5 to 10 years. Right now these Malysian universities are like limbless torsos. There is just no way they can be compared with world-class institutions that pride themselves on research and learning. Malaysian universities pride themselves merely on fulfilling entire social engineering objectives ONLY.

    Different goals and different goalposts. No comparison.

    So if you and your children are looking for world-class, look for a different playing field. The ones here are reserved for ‘SEVERELY HANDICAPPED’ students ONLY or almost.

  57. This ranking problem will keep the opposition busy for many more years, justifying the existence of the opposition. If BN will be so smart, they will just solve the problems and let DAP be out of the scene. It would perhaps be best to pass the problems to DAP and let DAP solve it. I don’t think there is any obvious solution.

  59. “For over 30 years, shameless UMNO have controlled education for their political ends. It took MCA over 30 years to get approval for UTAR, and even then there were concessions extracted from MCA” – Godfather

    Hello brother, long time no hear. I have been out of the country for few weeks and just got back 2 days ago.

    You are still so, so, so bitter, bro.

  61. Ah, my old friend RealWorld is back ! No, I am not bitter, I am sad that after 50 years we are still hellbent on applying NEP to local universities, sad that the standards have plumbed new depths. Sad that I have to advise fellow Malaysians to send their children overseas. Of course your masters at UMNO know this too, judging by the number of UMNOputras who send their children overseas.

    RealWorld, what is your take on this issue ?

  62. My good brother, Godfather, whats wrong with parents sending their children overseas? Its personal preference la.

    Its like you, wearing Levis jeans rather than locally made jeans. Perference la, my brother.

  63. How can you call it “preference” when it is not really a choice for many ? I mean if it is between choosing to go to NUS (which is in the top 50) or choosing to go to a local university of a similar ranking, then you can call it preference. If it is between NUS and a university ranked 200 places below NUS, then it can’t be called “preference”. It’s like choosing between suicide and survival.

  67. Not all of us dapat masuk NUS. So the rest of us have to tolerate and be grateful to the local universities for giving us a chance. We understand that we have the third class politicians, third class universities, and also we ourselves are third class. At the end, we don’t complain because we form a good combination with these items.

  68. There are many talented and capable Malays in this country. But they are either study in overseas universities or MARA, and definitely not in local u. In other words, local u generally do not have the best grade Malays.

    For the bright non-malay, there are two categories: rich will go study in overseas and poor will have no choice but local u. For the latter, don’t forget that many are not able to get the courses that they want to study.

    If we do not have the cream in the local u, how can the local u be excelled? The university’s reputation depend on quality of her students. To be fair, there are still bright students in local u but they are bogged down by the majority who are not so good. So, how can local u be excelled in this globalised world?

  69. The decadence started from Mahathir time. Or even earlier.

    And we’re now at the peak of the failure (or maybe have yet to peak yet).

    And we’ve reached a dungu kayu which is etched on it “Aku tak tau”.

  71. Godfather Says:

    November 22nd, 2007 at 07: 30.34
    ChinNA:

    How long have you been living in Bolehland ? You reckon that we can just go on a fundraising exercise to set up our own uinversity ? For over 30 years, shameless UMNO have controlled education for their political ends. It took MCA

    ===============

    Non-bumis pay more tax and money invested in local universities shall benefit all Malaysians.

    I did suggest “run-away” approach and study in overseas for smartest non-bumi students, but other less smart and poor non-bumis still depending on local universities.

  72. ngahc Says:

    November 22nd, 2007 at 12: 06.29
    There are many talented and capable Malays in this country. But they are either study in overseas universities or MARA, and definitely not in local u. In other words, local u generally do not have the best grade Malays.

    For the bright non-malay, there are two categories: rich will go study in overseas and poor will have no choice but local u. For the latter, don’t forget that many are not able to get the courses that they want to study.

    If we do not have the cream in the local u, how can the local u be excelled? The university’s reputation depend on quality of her students. To be fair, there are still bright students in local u but they are bogged down by the majority who are not so good. So, how can local u be excelled in this globalised world?

    ====

    UTM top students, coincidently majority of them are non-bumi are accepted by NUS and also Cambridge for their post graduare programs since 80s.

    UTM old graduates have proven they are capable to compete with top students from all over the world in NUS and open a door for future UTM graduates to be accepted into NUS albeit officially Singapore government is still not recognize UTM.

    Employers shall pick the gem from a pool of sand when they recruite local graduates.

  74. Godfather Says:

    November 22nd, 2007 at 11: 41.14
    How can you call it “preference” when it is not really a choice for many ? I mean if it is between choosing to go to NUS (which is in the top 50) or choosing to go to a local university of a similar ranking, then you can call it preference. If it is between NUS and a university ranked 200 places below NUS, then it can’t be called “preference”. It’s like choosing between suicide and survival.

    ===

    For non-bumi, enter NUS/NTU is more easier than local universities for your dream course. A number of my STPM classmates with moderate results (I mean not 4A or 5A) could not get the courses they wanted in local universities, but most of them were accepted by NUS and NTU for the course of their choose.

    About 50% of them return to Malaysia after finishing their agreement.

  76. To be fair to those esp. non-Bumis who had to study locally, I believe that they would do well in any environment; this I must reserve for those who took up a ‘real core’ subject degree. I have had come across those with ‘rojak’ degrees, the so-called’ Studies’
    these are real hopeless. When I was teaching, I came across many of such graduates who never wanted to admit they did such ‘Studies’; they would say that they did’ History’, Geography’ and what have you?. In fact, there was this guy , who was fond of saying’ we economists’, when in fact he did only 3 papers in this subject which a fellow B,Sc. [ Econ] said: it was H.S.C. equivalent!
    Mind you after 2 years of teaching, he did graduated as an economist, because a certain local bank offered him such a post!. I wouldn’t want to tell you the name of the bank.
    It is also a fact that with the current liberal and money-based education many ‘unqualified’ non-Bumis are admitted to overseas universities, including the medical insitutions. Hence let’s be fair and judge them when you interact with them, not from generallzing
    from a distant. I do believe many who are writing here could be doing so out of anger over lost opportunities, well that is Karma.
    There was this teacher who ‘ graduated’ [ if I can use th e word] from a local teaching college with his HSC. One day I came across him marking 2nd year maths paper from a local U, as a joke, I asked him, if this was for real? He literally flew into a rage! He actually shouted at me, ‘ Can you call Dr……… and ask him you taught him Maths when he was in form 6!’.
    I could really understand his frustrations then! So let us be more prudent in our judgement, not by its cover but its content.

  78. “For non-bumi, enter NUS/NTU is more easier than local universities for your dream course. A number of my STPM classmates with moderate results (I mean not 4A or 5A) could not get the courses they wanted in local universities, but most of them were accepted by NUS and NTU for the course of their choose.

    About 50% of them return to Malaysia after finishing their agreement.”

    Really?Are you sure..non of my fren coming back and local grads went sg to work

  79. “If Lim Kit Siang really read this comment, I really hope u think of something to make ur DAP stronger and win more seats in future polls….and come to setiawangsa n titiwangsa….i hate PAS” – chgchksg128

    You hate PAS?? Tok Guru threatened you with a keris? Or maybe issued racist remarks?

    Yes, go ahead and vote BN, then come back here and moan for the next 5 years.

    To short sleeve:
    I am not sure who is so naive of thinking support a party not ur choice if u dont support BN…wake up…becos of PAS…u now has an islamic country….pls make ur choice..if not the party u support..better dont vote…i will write this in blog later…welcome to visit

  80. chgchksg128 Says:

    November 22nd, 2007 at 17: 28.04
    “For non-bumi, enter NUS/NTU is more easier than local universities for your dream course. A number of my STPM classmates with moderate results (I mean not 4A or 5A) could not get the courses they wanted in local universities, but most of them were accepted by NUS and NTU for the course of their choose.

    About 50% of them return to Malaysia after finishing their agreement.”

    Really?Are you sure..non of my fren coming back and local grads went sg to work

    ======

    They came back to start up new businesses or hold senior posts in the companies, not to work as newbies.

  84. Who cares which University is premier? Change syllabus first, be competitive. Don’t just create exams that test memory power, Create to give skills and prepare student to become talented graduates. When our syllabus accepted by most of the countries and give them cofidents to hire our students, thats where we should start to think about who is premier… Errr… maybe gov scared students will migrate to overseas if they improve our syllabus uh? than lack of expertise in Malaysia… mmm… logic logic, than forever like thislah? choose!!!

Leave a Reply