PUTRAJAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) has provided “fast lane assistance” to 117 non-bumiputra Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia top achievers from low-income families, applying for scholarship to study abroad.

Public Service director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said a total of 151 students were eligible to have their applications put on the fast lane and the remaining 34 were bumiputra students.

He said the assistance was extended to the students who scored 10 A1s and who came from low-income families, earning below RM1,500 a month.

“We accepted it as that and did not try to adjust anything,” he said, clarifying an earlier report, which said more bumiputra applicants were given “fast lane assistance” compared to the non-bumiputra.

Ismail pointed out the figure was actually the opposite, adding that while scholarships for these students were “almost assured of, they still had to attend interviews.”

He also said the department was mulling over suggestions to inform scholarship applicants as to why they were rejected, adding this was a common complaint among students and parents who were disappointed that they were not told why their application was rejected.

"It is positive feedback and we will look into this. However, there will be a lot of paperwork to be done because the number of applications that are being rejected are in the thousands," he said.

This year, the PSD is offering 2,000 scholarships for studies abroad. A total of 6,262 students who scored 9As and above applied for the scholarships.

Ismail said the Government could not offer more overseas scholarships due to constraints in quota that foreign universities have for international students, adding that medical degrees from certain countries like the United States and Japan were not recognised here.

He said students who sat for their SPM last year could also apply for some 10,000 scholarships available to study at local universities, adding those who are successful in obtaining a place at Ivy League universities could also apply for a PSD scholarship.