Paid MRSM: No serious initiative taken so far - Asyraf Wajdi

SHAH ALAM - There has been no serious initiative taken so far regarding the proposal to create a paid version of the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM), said Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

He said the proposal to create a paid MRSM for well-to-do groups was actually the wish of alumni members from the MRSM Malaysia Student Association (Ansara) which had been discussed since 2017.

"We haven’t taken any serious initiative because the main issue is how to fulfil the wishes of alumni members who now reach 220,000 people, with most of them from the T20 group who competed with the B40 group at MRSM,” he told reporters after attending the MARA Bersama Rakyat programme and Rural Education Tour here today.

Elaborating, Asyraf Wajdi said MARA is still focusing on maintaining the student recruitment policy of 60 per cent from B40 families at 55 MRSMs nationwide.

According to him, the success of MRSM, which has a different orientation system and modules from other schools, has created trust and confidence among Ansara members from the T20 group, who suggested the establishment of a paid MRSM.

"That’s what they suggested, and we at Mara will refine the proposal. The only thing we now know is that Mara has postponed the development of new MRSM to focus on the existing 55 colleges and two others that will start operating at the end of this year in addition to improving infrastructure,” he said.

In March, Asyraf Wajdi suggested that a paid MRSM be created specifically for the high-income elite segment of society. - BERNAMA