Latest news with #Sim Tze Tzin
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
‘Mission impossible' for B40 East Malaysian students to enter top varsities, says MP
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said the government should treat STPM students more fairly in university admissions. KUALA LUMPUR : East Malaysian students from B40 families face an uphill battle to get into top university courses, a government MP said today. Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) highlighted the big gap between the two main pre-university paths in Malaysia – Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and the matriculation programme. 'If the students choose STPM, it is 'mission impossible' to get into a good university. 'This is because they basically have less than 3% chance to get into medicine, pharmacy or dentistry,' he said when debating the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat. Sim cited data showing very few STPM students from Sabah and Sarawak being admitted into medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and law courses. In 2023, only 2.39% of medical students admitted came from STPM, with most coming from matriculation. He said nearly 72% of STPM students were from B40 families. 'We want social mobility. But they are stuck in STPM. They can't move. This is an issue of justice because B40 students from Sabah and Sarawak are dependent on STPM to achieve social mobilisation and higher education,' he said. Sim also pointed out that matriculation took nine months to complete while STPM required 18 months, giving matriculation students a quicker path to university. He urged the government to treat STPM students more fairly in university admissions. 'STPM is now the second or last choice for our children. It should be given a higher weightage for entrance into university,' he said. He also called for the creation of a task force to 'save STPM' and ensure a fairer system for all students. Last month, education minister Fadhlina Sidek dismissed calls to abolish the matriculation programme. She denied claims that it was inferior to the STPM examination and said matriculation remained a recognised pre-university pathway accepted by both local and international universities.
Free Malaysia Today
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
New PKR appointees ‘on same page' as leadership, says analyst
(from left) Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Shamsul Iskandar Akin were appointed as the heads of the Johor and Melaka chapters of PKR, while Sim Tze Tzin was made the party's new strategic director. PETALING JAYA : An analyst says the appointment of PKR's new strategic director and several state chiefs is aimed at facilitating the party's workflow, as they are more aligned with the top leadership. Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia cited the appointments of PKR strategic director Sim Tze Tzin, replacing Akmal Nasir, as well as Dr Zaliha Mustafa as Johor PKR chief, taking over from Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. Akmal and Syed Ibrahim were running mates with Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli in the PKR elections in May, which saw Rafizi losing the party's deputy presidency. 'Syed Ibrahim also attended Rafizi's press conference on the judicial appointments issue. 'So this new line-up of leaders could be said to be more on the same page with the top leadership of the party,' Mazlan told FMT. Other appointments announced yesterday included Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's senior political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin, as Melaka PKR chief, and Ahmad Farhan Fauzi, another political aide to Anwar, taking over as Pahang PKR head. Tawfik Yaakub of Universiti Malaya said the changes were a normal matter for any party after undergoing internal elections. He said such steps were necessary to revamp and strengthen the party, especially ahead of a series of elections, starting with the Sabah polls this year and eventually the 16th general election in several years' time. Also due in the coming years are the Sarawak, Melaka, and Johor state elections. Tawfik said Sim's appointment could help PKR formulate holistic strategies for the polls, not only focusing on Malay support but also giving non-Malay leaders a bigger role. He added that Shamsul and Farhan's appointments were unsurprising given their government positions. 'This can ease communications from the PKR president (Anwar) to the state chiefs,' he said.
