Response from JPA regarding my open letter to Tan Sri Sidek

Dear Puan Dian,

Please allow me to throw some light on the issue of recognition of the Bachelor of Science (Forensic Science) degree conferred by the University of Western Sydney. This degree is not a recognized degree by the government at present because the Forensic Science course is considered a sub-medical course and as such, does not fall under the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) list which JPA refers to for the recognition of Arts and General Science courses. The course is considered a sub-medical course because the subjects are more geared towards the medical courses.

The current ruling governing the recognition procedure states that recognition is only provided if the university applies to JPA and currently only two Australian universities, after having done so, are recognized for their Forensic Science courses, namely Curtin University and Victoria University of Technology. The normal recognition process of overseas universities will usually take a year, due to the panel of assessor’s requirement to visit the university. The final approval in providing recognition of a qualification is under the jurisdiction of the Permanent Committee on Evaluation and Recognition of Qualifications (PCERQ), chaired by the Minister of Higher Education where JPA is the secretariat.

I hope this explanation will serve to clarify some of the issues which you have brought up earlier in your open letter to the Chief Secretary cited on the Malaysia Flip Flop website.

Thank you.

Warm Regards,

Madinah Mohamad
Director
Human Capital Development Division
Public Service Department
For Director-General of Public Service Malaysia

Puan Madinah Mohamad,

Thank you for your response. I do understand what you mentioned in your letters. What I am saying, which is the truth to the public at large, that JPA have neglected many who deserve to have the scholarship. Your department have overlooked at the middle and lower income earners, instead, have repeated given scholarship to the upper class who can spent RM100,000 on dinner, booze and girls for a night. Scholarships should be given to people who cannot afford to pay tuition or get loan. This week's article in the Star says it all.

Thank you once again.

Dian Lai Abdullah