Maszlee Thinks Racial Quota Is Needed Because The Job Market Is Unfair To Bumiputeras

Free Malaysia Today reported that Maszlee stressed that parties who are calling for the government to loosen the quota system should also address the discrimination Bumiputera graduates face in the job market. 

According to Malaysiakini, the Education Minister was responding to a student at a forum in Universiti Sains Malaysia yesterday, who asked about the possibility of opening up the matriculation quota for non-Bumiputeras. 

"We harp on (the quota system in) matriculation without considering that people are being denied jobs because they don't know Mandarin, for instance," the Minister was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini. 

Apart from that, he also argued that those wearing the hijab have been discriminated against in the job market, reported Free Malaysia Today. 

"If we can get rid of this (discrimination), have an equitable job field and equal business opportunities, then we can talk about being fair in all matters," Maszlee said. 

"Our government is just a year old. If we want to fix everything within that period, I don't think even the Avengers could do it," Maszlee said.

"The Avengers took eight years to kill Thanos," he quipped. 

He also stressed the importance of the matriculation programme to ensure that poor students, especially Bumiputeras, are given a chance to study. 

He added that many non-Malays are well-off and therefore could afford to send their children to private schools, reported Free Malaysia Today. 

"One day, once prosperity is shared by everybody, we will not need quotas in everything," Maszlee said.