KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 ― Not just SPM holders but young Malaysians with university diplomas and degrees are struggling to cope with living costs amid the current economic slowdown, Selangor PKR lawmaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today.

The Selangor state executive councillor said people with higher qualifications are not necessarily better off financially, contrary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s remarks in Parliament earlier this week.

“His comments also seem to not reflect the reality of extensive media reporting recently over the struggles that many young working Malaysians are facing in making ends meet and securing a living wage, many of whom are university students or fresh graduates,” the Seri Setia assemblyman said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Najib who is also finance minister told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysians with lower education levels are unable to obtain better-paying jobs, adding that those with higher academic qualifications are unlikely to struggle with higher living costs.

Najib also gave assurances that the government is seeking to increase the number of Malaysians who have qualifications beyond SPM.

Nik Nazmi said he welcomed the assurance but found that Najib's other comments to be “perplexing”.

“On the one hand, members of the government have in the past claimed that Malaysia has one of the best education systems in the world and yet the Prime Minister’s comment that Malaysians still have low education levels seems to fly in the face of this,” he pointed out.

He said the recent government decision to sharply reduce its education budget as well as the overall number of tertiary scholarships available for students contradicted with Najib's desire to increase the education level of Malaysians.

“How can we be one of the best, after all, if many of our people only have basic qualifications?” Nik Nazmi asked.

The Selangor education, human capital development, science, technology and innovation committee chairman said the country needs holistic educational and economic reform.

“This is to ensure that we are not only producing the best human capital but also ensuring that these workers are paid fairly,” he said.