IPOH: Emotions ran high at a meeting between state executive council members and 21 high achievers, whose applications for further studies and Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships were rejected.

The 21, who had scored between nine and 12 As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, had come with their parents from Negri Sembilan, Penang and Kedah to meet with Higher Education, Science, Technology and Communication Committee chairman Thomas Su Keong Siong; Health, Environment and Human Resources Committee chairman A. Siva-nesan, Perak assembly speaker V. Sivakumar and Buntong state assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam after the issue was raised a few days ago.

As they had excellent grades and were active in co-curricular activities, they wanted to know why their applications were rejected.

They were not given places in matriculation courses or local universities, and failed to get PSD scholarships.

Sivanesan said: "We are compiling data on the students and their academic achievements, and the state government will make an appeal to the PSD and the Higher Education Ministry."
Sivanesan said they plan to take the students to meet minister Datuk Khaled Nordin, and DAP MPs will raise the issue in Parliament.

He said students who scored nine As and more should automatically receive a PSD scholarship. Most of the parents are from the lower-income group, and are disappointed that after all their hard work their children cannot further their studies.

The students were not told why their applications were rejected, or why they were not given the courses they wanted, and all have appealed.

R. Joseph Joshua Ishbar, 17, who had travelled with his father from Kulim, said: "I scored 12 As in SPM and wanted to do medicine but my application to the PSD was rejected without any reason being given."

"I was asked to consider other courses, but I'm not interested."

K. Kanmine Devi, 18, from Sitiawan raised the issue with the Perak government. She scored 10 As in SPM but her application to the PSD to study medicine was rejected.

Su urged the PSD and the Education Ministry to be transparent and publish the names of the students who had been awarded scholarships and gained entry into matriculation classes.