Malaysia's Royal Military College set to increase seats for non-Malay students by 30%

Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 26 (ANI): Under the 1Malaysia concept introduced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, the Royal Military College (RMC) has decided to increase the intake of non-Malay students by 30 percent.

Previously, only five percent of its students were non-Malay.

The increase is being seen by many former RMC students as an important step that will help the college to overcome racial imbalance.

"When I was in RMC from 1961-1964, there were only eight non-Malay students and the criteria for entry was very stringent, " The Star Online quoted Prof Gurdial Singh Nijar, 62, now a Universiti Malaya law faculty lecturer, as saying.

Michael Tan Yew Lay, 66, another old boy of RMC from 1958 to 1962 said increasing the number of non-Malay students would further enhance the integration of all races.

"In my 'batch' there were about 15 non-Malay students and we are still in touch although it has been about 50 years since we left RMC," he said.

"My son is also an RMC old boy and graduated in 1989. I encouraged him to join RMC because it was a place where patriotism for the country and love for one another was taught without racial bias," he added.

Hyundai Corporation legal adviser Jeyaganesh Gopalsamy, another RMC old boy from 1987 to 1991, lauded the Prime Minister's call for RMC to take in more non-Malays.

"RMC is a special institution where racial integration is at a very high level. We interact like family members," he said.

Former RMC student Abu Bakar Mohd Nor, 56, said an increase in the number of non-Malay students would encourage healthy competition.

"We mixed around with everybody freely. Even the Chinese wore the kain pelikat just like the Malays," he said. (ANI)