KUALA LUMPUR: There is no special quota given to students from oil-producing states, including Sabah and Sarawak, to pursue their tertiary studies under the Petronas Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP), the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Arthur Joseph Kurup said PESP will be offered to those who are eligible and based on merit.
"This year, Petronas received 10,000 applications for PESP with only 400 spots being available.
"PESP is a competitive programme and only the best students can be accepted for this outstanding programme," he said in his reply to a supplementary question from Awang Husaini Sahari (PKR-Putatan).
Awang Husaini had asked if an advantage is given to students from Sabah and Sarawak for tertiary education scholarship, as the educational infrastructure in the two states was far behind and could affect the quality of student education and sponsorship opportunities.
Kurup said since its inception in 1975, the PESP had benefited more than 36,000 students in their pursuit of tertiary education, involving a cost of more than RM3 billion.
"Since 2010, a total of 3,426 students had received the financial sponsorship involving RM874 million. Of the total, 17 per cent or 575 students were from Sabah and Sarawak, involving a sponsorship of more than RM100 million."
He said 245 students from Sabah had received sponsorship, of which 163 was for their studies at local universities and the remaining 82 students continued their further education abroad.
As for Sarawak, Kurup said 330 students from the state had received the sponsorship with 234 students for their studies at local universities and the remaining 96 abroad.
Nonetheless, Kurup said, the national petroleum corporation has been providing various assistance including infrastructure for educational development to reduce the gap in infrastructure between the two states and the states in the Peninsula.
These include the establishment of Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Ranau and residential hostels in rural areas.