In the light of the neverending controversy over the award of government scholarships by Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) of the Prime Minister’s Department, DAP will be holding a forum to obtain feedback from aggrieved students, current and former local and overseas scholars, academics as well as the public with regards to the government’s policies on scholarships.

The forum will be held as follows:

Topic: JPA Scholarships – Seeking A Fair & Equitable Policy

Time: 8.00 pm

The panelists will include:

l Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor,
l Anthony Loke Siew Fook, MP for Rasah and DAPSY Chief,
l Tony Pua, MP for Petaling Jaya Utara,
l Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, PAS Research Centre Director and MP for Kuala Selangor
l Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Selangor ADUN for Seri Setia

Dr Goh Cheng Teik, eminent academic, former deputy minister and interviewer for Harvard University admission programme in Malaysia will also be a special guest for the evening.

Feedback and resolutions gathered at this forum will be presented at a Parliamentary Roundtable convened by Sdr Anthony Loke on this same issue. The Parliamentary Roundtable on the JPA Scholarship Scheme will be convened as follows:

Venue: Parliament Committee Room 1
Date: 22nd May 2009 (Tuesday)
Time: 10.00 am

The panelists for the Roundtable will include the speakers above as well as other members of the academia, former top overseas scholars and interview panelists for top overseas universities. They include:

l Dr Azmi Sharom, Associate Professor of Law, Universiti Malaya
l Dr Terence Gomez, Associate Professor of Political Economy, Universiti Malaya
l Dr Denison Jeyasooria, Principal Research Fellow, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
l Sallehuddin Ayob, MP for Kubang Krian and PAS Youth Chief
l Nurul Izzah Anwar, MP for Lembah Pantai and alumnus of John Hopkins University, Washington
l Izad Salehuddin, Former British Chevening Scholar, alumnus of London School of Economics
l Adlin Abdul Majid, Former JPA Scholar, alumnus of Oxford University

Additional prominent panelists will be confirmed at a later date.

Among the issues which will be discussed will include the manner by which the entire scholarship selection and award system can be reformed to be a fairer and more equitable system. This will include dealing with underlying issues such as when a scholarship should be granted, the shortlisting criteria, the interview process, choice of universities etc.

We hope to present the findings of the Parliamentary Roundtable to the Prime Minister for his action to ensure that the annual scholarship controversies will no longer persist.