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The Higher Education Department (JPT) has clarified that Edward Wong Yi Xian was offered a place based on his merit and chosen programme
In a statement, the department said the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) graduate applied for an accounting programme at only four public universities, not six as he claimed.
It said that although the candidate achieved a total merit score of 99.9%, with a 4.0 CGPA and 9.9 out of 10 in co-curricular activities, he ranked 1,129th out of 2,291 applicants for Universiti Malaya's (UM) accounting programme, his top choice.
"The system's selection process offered him a Bachelor of Management with Honours in a field such as Strategy & Organisation, Marketing, Finance, Operations, International Business, Islamic Finance, or Business Analytics at a top research university, which was his fifth choice," JPT said.
Wong's application rankings for the accounting programmes he applied to were as follows:
• UM: Out of 2,291 eligible applicants, 1,127 had a 100% merit score. Wong was ranked 1,129th, and UM had only 85 places available.
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM): Out of 4,154 eligible applicants, 1,718 had a 100% merit score. The candidate was ranked 1,724th, and UPM had 100 places available.
• Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM): Out of 2,595 eligible applicants, 1,282 had a 100% merit score. The candidate was ranked 1,288th, and UUM had 350 places available.
• Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM): Out of 2,292 eligible applicants, 1,060 had a 100% merit score. The candidate was ranked 1,062nd, and UTM had 55 places available.
"The candidate was offered a place based on his merit and programme choices, just like other candidates," JPT said.
It said many candidates achieved a 4.0 CGPA with a 100% merit score, adding that Wong's 99.9% merit score was lower in comparison.
JPT refuted claims of loopholes in its system, insisting that the Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) online system was designed around the merit scoring set for each course and programme.
In the same statement, JPT revealed that 1,255 STPM graduates achieved a 4.0 CGPA, comprising 71 from the Science stream and 1,184 from the Arts stream
Of these, 1,249 candidates were offered placements.
JPT said four candidates who have yet to receive offers faced a technical issue with their Malaysian University English Test (MUET) results, and steps are being taken to process them.
The department is now working to contact the two remaining candidates.
As for diploma or equivalent graduates with a CGPA of 3.99 who did not secure a spot in any public university, JPT said several factors could have contributed.
• The candidate chose a program that was not equivalent to their diploma field of study. Examples include a Culinary Arts Diploma holder applying for a Bachelor of Fashion Design/Creative Industry, or a Food Service Management Diploma holder applying for a Bachelor of Rail Transport Engineering Technology.
• The candidate did not meet the specific programme requirements, such as obtaining a credit in certain Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) subjects like Mathematics and English.
• The application documents were incomplete. For example, a scroll or confirmation of graduation was not attached.
"For such cases, candidates are advised to use the appeal period, which is open from 5 September to 14 September," read the statement.
JPT added that unsuccessful applicants may attend a consultation session with UPU officials from 8 to 12 September at the JPT lobby in Putrajaya.
Wong (left) and MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong at a press conference on Monday, 8 September.
Image via Wee Ka Siong (Facebook)