Kedah education exco Professor Dr. Haim Hilman Abdullah has raised concerns that international students now outnumber Malaysian Chinese students in Malaysia’s top five public research universities, Sinchew reported.
Based on 2024 Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) data, international students make up 21.3% of the student population at Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), compared to only 13–13.5% Malaysian Chinese students.
Concentration of international students exceptionally high in the top 5 research universities
Among the 38,388 international students in these universities, the majority come from China (30,714), followed by Indonesia (4,145), Iraq (2,098), and only 91 from the United States. Nationally, international students account for 8.72% of enrolments across 20 public universities, but their concentration in the top five far exceeds this average.
Unfair to Malaysians
Dr. Haim argued that the high intake of foreigners is unfair to Malaysians, stressing that these universities are heavily funded by the government and meant to benefit local students. He questioned why Malaysian Chinese students form only 13% of enrolments despite making up 20% of the population, saying:
“These opportunities belong to Malaysians, not foreigners. The places are funded by taxpayers and should be prioritised for our people–whether Malay, Chinese, Indian, or indigenous.”
– Professor Dr. Haim Hilman Abdullah
He warned that international students can apply for a “graduate pass” to remain and work in Malaysia, potentially creating competition for both university places and jobs. With more than 30,000 Chinese students studying in Malaysia last year alone, he cautioned this could put immense pressure on the local job market.
Dr. Haim also noted that Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh has formally proposed for Bangladeshi graduates to be allowed to work in Malaysia–an idea currently under government study–which he said would worsen the problem.
Public universities should not forget core mission of educating Malaysians
He rejected claims that international enrolment boosts university rankings, accusing public universities of losing focus on their core mission of educating Malaysians.
To address the issue, Dr. Haim urged the government to:
- Cap international student enrolment at 5% in every university.
- Release transparent data publicly and form a royal commission to investigate admissions.
- Strengthen the higher education system with a focus on nurturing local talent.
Source: Sin Chew
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