MIC leader warns against forced Bumiputera equity in tuition centre licences
MIC strategic director C Sivaraj says requiring 30% Bumiputera ownership for tuition centre licence renewals would unfairly strip long-standing non-Bumiputera owners of equity.
C Sivaraj, strategic director of the Malaysian Indian Congress, cautioned that the education ministry’s draft guideline mandating a 30% Bumiputera share for tuition centre licence renewal would unjustly force non-Bumiputera owners to relinquish equity they built over many years. He highlighted that these businesses were started with private capital, provide employment and have complied with all regulations, and therefore should not be penalised by retroactive requirements.
Sivaraj urged the ministry to clarify whether the rule targets all existing tuition centres and to specify any grace period for current operators. The concern was echoed by Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, who also asked for the policy’s basis and for consultation with affected operators. Both officials warned that the measure could harm Indian-run tuition centres that have long contributed to the education sector.
Why it matters
The policy could reshape ownership of many private tuition centres, affecting livelihoods and ethnic equity balances in Malaysia.
In this story
