PETALING JAYA: MCA Youth has urged Universiti Malaya (UM) and the Higher Education Ministry to explain why admission into UM’s accounting programme has plunged despite soaring demand from top scorers, amid concerns that the University Admissions Unit (UAU) slots are being squeezed to make way for alternative pathways.
Its education consultative committee chairman Ong Chee Siang said the flagship programme, once admitting some 150 students annually through UAU, has seen the figure fall to just 85 since the introduction of the Saluran Terbuka Universiti Malaya (UM Open Channel or Satu) in 2018.
“This year, the programme received 2,291 eligible applications, including 1,127 with perfect scores, yet only 85 were admitted via UAU – just 7.5% of applicants.
“Under such circumstances, even top scorers now face near-impossible odds of getting enrolled in the course. This cannot be explained away by saying ‘competition is high’. The issue here is structural,” Ong said in a statement.
He questioned whether UAU slots had been reallocated to Satu, noting that when it was first introduced, admissions were capped at 10 per programme but some now take in more than 100.
“The issue is not just about one case, like that of Edward Wong, but the lack of transparency in our higher education system. When basic admission data is withheld, how are citizens expected to believe the process is fair?” he asked.
Ong called on UM and the ministry to disclose how many of this year’s 85 UAU places for accounting went to STPM students and how many to Satu applicants. He also demanded figures for 2023 and 2024 and confirmation on whether UAU slots have been reduced.
“Public universities exist to provide equal opportunities based on merit. They are funded by taxpayers and should not operate under commercial motivations.
“If Satu admissions continue to expand at the expense of UAU, we are not only worsening inequality but also undermining our nation’s future competitiveness,” he warned, adding that the situation could drive Malaysia’s brightest abroad and deepen brain drain.
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman, however, was reported as saying the actual intake for the accounting programme was higher than the 85 UAU seats cited, as the university also admits students through conditional direct offers.
“UM has what we call an open channel – we offer about 30 to 50 students conditional offers, meaning that they have already met the requirements.
“This is a normal practice, and the offer letters are only issued after the appeal period,” he told a press conference on Wednesday.
“During the appeal period, the 30 to 50 students will be ranked to identify the best candidates. They are ranked based on the same system used by UAU. Ultimately, we will take 30 to 50 students, making the total around 150 or 160.”