The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has strongly denied recent accusations by an opposition lawmaker suggesting that local students are being overlooked in favour of international applicants.
MOHE Director General, Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman, emphasized that although Malaysia promotes internationalisation in higher education, the government remains committed to protecting the interests of local students. She described the claims as baseless and misleading.
The statement was issued in response to remarks by PAS representative Dr. Haim Hilman Abdullah, who asserted that international students were occupying too many university placements.
“It’s surprising that such concerns are being raised, especially by someone who previously served as a vice-chancellor and should be well aware of how admission quotas work for both local and foreign students,” Dr. Azlinda said during a special press briefing.
She clarified that, as of December last year, international student admissions at the undergraduate level in the country’s five research universities – Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia were strictly limited.
“At these universities, international students made up only 8.4% of the undergraduate population, while local students accounted for the remaining 91.6%,” she explained.
However, postgraduate admissions are not subject to such limitations, as they support the internationalisation goals outlined in the Malaysian Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015–2025. Public universities are encouraged to enhance their global standing and attract talent from abroad.
Earlier, during the 71st PAS Muktamar, Jitra assemblyman Dr. Haim Hilman accused the ministry of failing to prioritise local students, especially in terms of access to higher education and job prospects for young graduates. He went as far as calling the situation a ‘national tragedy’ and blamed the current government for the alleged shortcomings.
Dr. Azlinda responded by highlighting that the assemblyman, in his previous role as vice-chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia, had once supported similar policies. She pointed out that in an October 11, 2022 statement, he proudly announced a 13.97% increase in international student enrollment for the 2022/2023 academic year at his university.
“This demonstrates that he himself endorsed the enrolment of international students when he was in a leadership position,” she added.
She also stressed that MOHE remains dedicated to ensuring public clarity regarding the policies surrounding international student admissions. The ministry, she said, operates with full transparency and professionalism.
“Our focus is solely on addressing this issue to prevent any public confusion. It is our duty as civil servants to ensure accurate information is conveyed to the public,” she concluded.