IPOH, Oct 11 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged Malaysians not to oppose the entry of foreign students into local universities, saying their presence is vital to strengthening Malaysia’s higher education sector.
Anwar said around 170,000 students are waiting to study in Malaysia, and that their enrolment supports both public and private institutions.
“Let’s not block international students from coming. They pay full tuition fees, while Malaysian students are subsidised by the government.
“Private universities also rely on international students for income, so their presence benefits the education ecosystem,” he said during a Madani SPM seminar at SMJK Yuk Choy here.
Anwar said Malaysia continues to attract strong global interest in education and currently has the highest enrolment rate in Asean, reflecting the country’s positive image and the quality of its education.
He acknowledged, however, that university placement disputes still arise every year when the university admissions unit opens, often turning into racial arguments.
“I noticed that every year, there are complaints; this person didn’t get a place, that person didn’t get a place, and it becomes a racial issue. Instead of arguing, we need to discuss and find proper solutions,” he said.
Anwar said the main issue lies in the limited number of university places, particularly in high-demand fields such as engineering, medicine and accounting.
“Companies like Infineon, the world’s largest semiconductor producer from Germany, chose Malaysia for their second-largest factory. Google and Microsoft are also here. So we need more skilled workers, especially engineers,” he said.
To address this, he announced 1,500 additional university spots for outstanding local students from matriculation and STPM pathways.
“This would ensure high-achieving students can secure places in their preferred courses such as engineering, accounting, or business. So we hope there won’t be any issue of high-achieving students not getting placement in public universities anymore,” he added.
Anwar said education remains Malaysia’s top national investment priority, with the largest share of the recent federal budget allocated to the Education Ministry.
“In many countries, the biggest budget is for defence, but in Malaysia, education receives the most because it’s our future.
“Our students must be trained to excel, to develop intelligence, skills, discipline, and good work ethics,” he said.
He added that international investors value Malaysia’s political stability and consistent policies, but what impresses them most is the strong work ethic of Malaysian workers.
“When I met the Google leadership in San Francisco, they said Malaysia’s workers are disciplined and hardworking. That’s our strength,” he said, adding that the youths must continue to uphold these values.
