High public uni fees pricing out deserving students, says Dr Wee

The Star

3 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The increasing use of direct or open entry routes into public universities is raising concerns over high costs that are progressively pricing out deserving students from underprivileged and middle-income backgrounds.
"We must re-evaluate this system when public universities begin to act commercially, deviating from their original noble goal of ensuring that bright students—especially those from low-income families—are allowed to succeed," said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong at a press conference here.
The MCA president highlighted the growing trend of public universities offering courses through open channels at exorbitant tuition fees.
"This issue extends beyond Universiti Malaya. Other universities like USM, UKM, UPM, UTM, and UUM are following similar practices.
"The shift towards these open channels is concerning, as it prioritises financial capability over academic merit, undermining the foundational ethos of public education," he said.
On Tuesday (June 24), Dr Wee highlighted the sharp increase in UM's medicine and other critical field degrees fees for the 2025/2026 intake under its direct admission channel, Saluran Terbuka Universiti Malaya (Satu), which rose by 67.1% to RM500,000 from RM299,200 the previous year.
In contrast, students admitted through the UPUOnline channel, which is government-subsidised, pay only RM15,000 for the same programme. He questioned if this stark fee disparity discourages students from lower-income B40 and M40 groups.
Dr Wee said that he received overwhelming feedback from parents who shared their distress after highlighting the UM case.
"Many of their children applied through the UPUOnline system, only to receive an acceptance contingent upon paying up to RM300,000 via the open channel.
"This financial burden is insurmountable for most families, turning what should be a joyous occasion into one of despair," he said.
Dr Wee emphasised that public universities were funded by taxpayers, with the annual budget approved by Parliament specifically to cover the salaries of chancellors and staff, and to maintain the operational needs of these institutions.
While acknowledging that the funding might not be sufficient for all developmental expenses, he said this should not come at the expense of deserving students who qualify through the UPUOnline system.
According to a previous Parliamentary reply, Dr Wee said 19% to 40% of public university placements are now allocated through these open channels, revealing a systemic issue that undermines the foundational ethos of public education.
"I firmly believe that UPUOnline should remain the main and utmost channel for enrolment in public universities.
"This ensures admissions are based on merit rather than financial ability, thus promoting social mobility for underprivileged students to turn their lives around via quality and affordable education."
He also warned that the current trajectory risks transforming the education system into an elitist one, where only financially privileged students can access quality education.
Citing an example, Dr Wee said the total cost for completing a public university medical programme has soared from approximately RM300,000 to over RM500,000, surpassing fees at some local private universities.
"Similar hikes of 20% to 30% have been seen in other professional courses like law, and this casts doubt on whether public universities still prioritise talent cultivation or have shifted towards a quasi-private model.
"While direct admissions can be implemented, public universities should expand their intake rather than using slots meant for UPUOnline students," he said.
Dr Wee called on the government to establish a royal commission of inquiry to review these practices guided by learned educationists, emphasising the need to uphold the role of public universities in fostering talent and offering upward mobility through education.
"We cannot allow financial capability to replace academic merit in determining university admissions. The government should intervene immediately to prevent further inequality in higher education access," he said, adding that the open channel intake should be halted.
"Our public universities should remain bastions of opportunity, where students are admitted based on their abilities and potential, not their financial standing.
"I hope the government takes decisive action to stop this trend and safeguard the future of higher education in Malaysia. It should remain a public right rather than becoming a privilege," he added.