Explain Bumiputera equity condition for tuition centres, MIC man urges govt

An MIC leader has urged the education ministry to explain reports that tuition centres will be required to possess 30% Bumiputera equity by 2027 or their licences will not be renewed.

While respecting efforts to boost Bumiputera participation in the economy, MIC strategic director C Sivaraj said this cannot be done by forcibly taking the rights and equity of non-Bumiputera communities.

“If someone started their business years ago with their own capital and has built their reputation, provided jobs and complied with all regulations, why should they now be forced to relinquish part of their equity simply to renew their licence?

“The government’s policymaking authority must be used carefully, especially when it involves businesses that have operated legitimately for a long time.

“We cannot strengthen one race at the expense of another,” he said in a statement, adding that this move would affect many Indian operators of tuition centres who have built their businesses over many years.

Sivaraj urged the education ministry to clarify whether this 30% equity rule would apply to all existing tuition centres, and whether there would be a grace period for operators.

Earlier this week, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung said a ministry guideline purportedly stated that tuition centres must have 30% Bumiputera equity in order to have their licences renewed next year.

Lee urged the ministry to explain the basis for the move and to consult operators and give them clear guidance on the implementation of the policy.