KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has pledged to resolve the case of a disabled student who was allegedly prevented from applying for a place at a public university.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir emphasised that the ministry’s policy is clear—there is no discrimination against qualified individuals seeking to pursue higher education.
“When this case came to my attention, I immediately instructed the relevant parties to review and investigate it, as our policy on the rights of disabled persons to further their studies is well-defined.
“In this case, the student applied under the disabled category, and the university sought details on the specific disability so appropriate accommodations could be made.
“God willing, this matter will be resolved, and we will ensure the student is able to study at one of the higher learning institutions,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Zambry was responding to a question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH–Kota Melaka) on whether the ministry had investigated claims that a student diagnosed with autism was denied entry to a public university despite achieving excellent results.
He said the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was currently assessing the student’s suitability for admission.
The incident came to light after a mental health organisation raised concerns over reports that the student, known only as Aniq, had been barred from applying due to autism.
According to a Facebook post by Sazly Azizuddin Sahaimi, Aniq achieved a matriculation CGPA of 3.83 and met both the general and programme-specific requirements for the course applied for.
