This is an email from a concerned citizen that was sent to me few days ago. Most of the issues that he mentioned had already been discussed in my blog over the last few months. Unqualified students doing medicine by going through Foundation courses organised by many dubious private colleges for both local and overseas medical schools. There is no standardisation and quality control by the authorities, the usual Malaysia boleh syndrome!
Most of the brain drain that this country is facing is because of the issues mentioned in the first paragraph of the email. Even though the situation has changed to a better after the 2008 election where UMNO/BN realised the importance of non-Malay votes, it is still not satisfactory. IN 1980s and up to mid 1990s, JPA scholarship to do medicine overseas is only reserved for Bumiputeras. Me and my good friend who got 9As in SPM were told openly that we will not be given scholarship to do medicine but we can choose engineering or any other field. We took the courage to do STPM and did well to get a place in UM. The situation gradually improved towards 2000 when MCA started to make some noise. Since 2008 election, about 40-45% of the JPA scholarships are now being given to non-Bumis for various field of studies. That’s roughly about 900 slots for various field.
Najib has promised that from this year onwards, all top scorers will be given scholarship but it is yet to be seen.From my ground survey, I do see more non-Bumis receiving scholarships but the numbers are still small. Remember, only top scorers are given this scholarship but the same rule do not apply for the Bumiputeras. I have seen and heard of so many Bumis who got only 2As – 5As in SPM receiving scholarship to do various courses overseas. One thing the government never reveal is the number of MARA scholars overseas. But GOD has shown us the figure when Egypt was in turmoil last month. Almost 5000 medical students in Egypt alone, that’s almost 1000/year! I can assure you , almost 90% of those are MARA scholars. MARA also sends medical students to Ireland/UK/Australia/Poland/India/Indonesia, Russia etc as well as local public and private medical schools!! So, what is 900 slots compared to thousands given by both MARA and JPA to the Bumis? To say that all of them are poor is also not true as I have seen sons/daughters of Tan Sri/Datos and wealthy businessman receiving the same aid! Where is the logic!
Well, coming back to the email below, as the writer has said, the country is heading for doom if the situation of unqualified doctors are not addressed in an urgent manner!
Unqualified Doctors who are already in the medical practice
It is very sad to understand the declining of quality of medical doctors in Malaysia. 20 years ago one cannot hear so many doctors passing out as our system of education was class 1 English medium. Now scholarships are granted for all bumiputras. Their parents do not have to toil and labour for the money. The Chinese and Indians have to find their own fundings. The government is to be blamed for this. The 1 Malaysia concepts is not applicable to the other 2 races when it comes to funding for the straight A students who are Indian and Chinese.
I have been following what is going on in the hospitals. The housemen are unable to carry out on a patient professionally as he/she lacks experience. They are unable to diagnose the diseases. Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican did not address the sub-standard quality of these housemen. It is a devastating issue where the present to be doctors cannot understand and identify the disease or symptoms of the complaints.
He commented that the doctors are overworked and are mentally stressed. i would say these housemen to be doctors are mentally disturbed as they did not excel in the medical exams set in their universities.
Many have gone abroad without the NOCs and many medical students somehow got their NOC’s illegally as their SPM and Foundations are not up to mark. They manage to do their foundations in the institutes around town and are able to leave for their medical studies within 4 or 5 months time. The agents arrange this with the principles of the colleges in our country. I would say on commission basis.
The private institutions of higher learning like Nirwana, Lincoln and others come out with instant certificates for these students to go and do medicine abroad.
The students who did not score in Science subjects who only got 7 and 8 are able to do medicine.
70% of these students are passing out these years.
MMC does not look into their poor SPM results but acknowledges the Degrees. First of all they should not allow students with such poor results to do medicine. If they were a gateway not to allow these students to do medicine our country will not look this akward about the Malaysian doctors. Parents would not then pressure their loved ones to do medicine as MMC would counsel such parents to avoid the glitches of unqualified doctors in our country. The team to be blamed is the Ministry of Health, MMA that knows what is going on and MMC.
Agents have made billions in this booming business of sending unqualified students to do medicine. How did the Ministry of Education give out the NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATES TO THESE AGENTS?
Many who did not excel in SPM have become doctors.
Why is it that the entrance exam is going to be implemented for those taking up medicinein future and not for those who are already in the medical universities. The lousy stock of unqualified medical graduates are soon passing out to practice in the hospitals. The problem is not going to be tackled in a proper manner.
Kursk and Ukraine or those universities that has caused it all. A CATASTROPHE. Why are the agents corrupting the government. They are able to talk through and been gaining in wealth and are filthy billionaires. The concerned educational departments have been convinced by these money making agents. I have seen advertisements by these agents which is full of misleading information. They are not professionally experienced to figure out who can sturdy for medicine.
I hope the Cabinet will implement the exams for all from this year that would start the ball rolling.
Pagalavan's Avatar 
Dr pagavalan, this is the first time i am reading your blog. i agree with most of your comment , however i do not agree that your singled out Kursk and Ukraine as the problem. The media also seems to singled out Russian University. of course there are some bad apples that tarnish the university image. for your record my son is in his 5th year in Kursk, in his class of 9 student 8 of them are all straight A’s student. Why nobody comment on those studying medicine in Egypt, India , indonesia or even our local private university, which was only set up the last 3 years i doubt that their standard is better ? And what about the MARA medical school in shah alam where they intake is only for BUMI? Dont they employ russian lecturer to teach also? maybe you can shed some light on these matter. Thank you.
I think you should read my articles again. No where in any of my writings did I say anything about Russian universities. Most of the articles that said that are NOT mine. I just cut and paste but the main issue is still the same, Poor quality of graduates mainly due to poor entrance qualifications. All the questions that you post like UiTM, Egypt, local universities etc , I had already addressed it along the way. You should spend more time going through ALL my postings under the education/politic page. Thanks
Dr. pagavalan, thanks for yr reply. the above posting did mention the the agent of Kursk and Ukraine corrupt the goverment. on the other hand they also provide a way for many non bumi student who had done well in the examination but unable to gain entry in local medical school due to Quota system. In fact my son was offered scholarship to do engineering overseas but he rejected the offer bcos he has set his sight on medicine. We chose kursk bcos it is more established compare to our local private medical university and the cost is another factor. and yes i will spend more time in your posting.
Foundation courses organised by many dubious private colleges are those follow foot step of malaysian matriculation.