NOVEMBER 19 ― TARC (Tunku Abdul Rahman College) was established in 1969 by MCA principally to overcome the increasing demand by Chinese Malaysians for enrolments in public universities. The government couldn’t acquiesce to any form of meritocracy model nor temper with the quota system, hence. MCA provided the RM20 million set-up capital. It was opened to all Malaysians and the government agreed on the matching grants formula ie. RM for RM raised by TARC. Fundraising then became a serious MCA initiative.
The object was that tuition fees charged must be similar to that of public universities. And that is where the resemblance ends.
Very quickly TARC graduates especially in accountancy and engineering became reputed for their professionalism and diligence, and undergrads were given conditional employment offers even before sitting for their final exams. There were many a time I witnessed alumni displaying pride and comradeship upon learning the new acquaintance was also schooled in TARC, as if they graduated from Harvard or Oxford! In pursuit of excellence was the institution’s motto.
MCA’s role in responding to our higher education needs during this post-May 13 period is a key factor in our young nation’s record of continued social stability and rapid economic growth.
In 2013 TARC was upgraded to Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC). The student population is now close to 30,000, serviced by several campuses throughout the nation. The matching grant for operating expenses of RM30 million in 2018 was slashed to RM5.5 million in the 2019 Budget by the new Pakatan Harapan government. This was further reduced to RM1 million for the 2020 Budget.
Finance minister Lim Guan Eng wants MCA to relinquish any forms of control of TAR UC if it wishes the continuation of public funding. He is adamant that political parties should not have control over educational institutions or the media. The presidents of MCA are normally accorded the chairmanship of its board of governors and about 30 percent of board seats are reserved for party nominees.
While most can agree with Lim’s assertion, the question is ― why act with such gusto? If it is to strip MCA of all vestiges of political patronage, I think the MCA GE14 results of one MP and two state assemblymen would render this act as an absurd overkill. It is abundantly obvious that the higher education accomplishments (including the establishment of UTAR) of MCA have long lost its allure to swing Chinese Malaysian sentiments. The MCA leadership are fully aware that a huge majority of teaching staff and undergrads are DAP supporters. I think in the beginning it was with utter dismay to learn, but I believe not any more.
With that background it is terribly hard to fathom Lim’s aggressiveness. After all the collateral damage (students and staff) will comprise more DAP supporters!
Wouldn’t it be more practical to propose an arrangement where MCA withdraws any direct or even indirect influence on TAR UC within a short period of time? Then the onus is on MCA whether the matching grants continue.
PS
It must be extremely heartbreaking for MCA to just relinquish control and responsibility for TAR UC after an association of 50 years! But like all guardians we have to perform some acts of sacrifice when it is for the greater or longer term good of our wards.
From GE12 the signs were clear that the generation which owed debts of gratitude are disappearing. By GE14 this “entitled” generation seemed to have comfortably set in.
I think the finance minister completely forgot the human centricity factor when he decided on the grant stoppage.
* Datuk Lee Yew Meng is the MD/CEO of Genovasi Malaysia which operates d.school Malaysia and Genovasi University College.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
