PSD scholarships awarded on merit, says minister

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KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Services Department (PSD) scholarships for students to pursue studies overseas are awarded based on merit and not racial composition, said Minister i n t he P rime Mini s t er ’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

He said since 2008 between 40 and 45 per cent of scholarships were awarded to non-Malay students.

Speaking to reporters at Parliament lobby yesterday, he said Malays accounted for 67.9 per cent of Malaysia’s population of 29 million, Chinese (24 per cent), Indians (7.2 per cent) and others (0.9 per cent).

Datuk Hasbullah Osman (BNGerik) raised the issue in the Dewan Rakyat earlier.

On high electricity bills incurred by Seri Perdana Complex, he said the bills included electricity consumption in seminar halls, meeting rooms, workers quarters, and other facilities, apart from the prime minister’s official residence.

The matter was raised by Dr Ong Kian Ming (DAP-Serdang) in the Dewan Rakyat.

“As a member of parliament, he (Ong) should know the difference between the complex and the residence. If the whole complex is only used by the prime minister and his wife, the electricity bills will be equivalent to any house occupied by two persons,” said Shahidan. — Bernama