KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — DAP lawmaker Zairil Khir Johari  today slammed the Public Service Department (PSD) for threatening to revoke scholarships from students who are critical of the government.

The Bukit Bendera MP pointed out that government scholarships are collected from taxes paid by the public.  

"It is unwise for the government to deny the people to right to question and criticise government policies.

"Additionally, government scholarships are collected from taxes. Therefore, to oppress the youth by threatening to deny scholarships, is very annoying and unacceptable,” he said in a statement today.

Zairil also said that the government’s latest move will only drive more talents to emigrate from the country.

He cited a World Bank report in 2011 titled "Malaysia Economic Monitor: Brain Drain”, which stated that a number of local professionals left the country because of the current state of affairs.

"A large number of them migrated because of the environment, which is not progressive and doesn’t promote critical thinking.

"Besides that, when the government threatened the freedom to voice our views, it isn’t surprising that our national talents are forced to leave the country.”

Earlier, it was reported that JPA director-general Zainal Rahim Seman had said students could risk losing their benefits from the Public Service Department (PSD) bursary if they were found criticising the government or the country through social media.

Zainal said the scholarships were awarded to students for them to focus on their studies, not to spread inaccurate information to tarnish the government’s reputation.