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In the last few years, private colleges spring up like mushrooms in Malaysia. We have about 600 private colleges, out of which about 300 are IHLs. Hence the suggestion by the minister Tan Sri Musa Mohamad attracts attention. Ideally, the number of private IHLs should meet the need of the country and the aspiration to be a centre of regional academic excellence. What is the magic figure of private and public IHLs? Is it 50 private and 35 public?

In 1995, we had 220 private colleges. Now, there are about 600, having 200,000 students, of whom 11,000 are foreigners. Will the established IHLs merge with the new ones. For example, will International Medical University merge with another? Clearly, mergers of IHLs will be complicated.

IHLs are not simple business companies. They are not like banks that can be merged to survive globalisation. Even with banks, there are problems. The mergers of IHLs will be more complex.

If the Education Ministry monitors IHLs closely, they cannot cheat students. They compete with one another. They have no choice but to cater for the need of the society. A non-competitive IHL will perish.

An impression is that Non-Malays set up over 90% of private IHLs, Malays being 2 or 3 %. The Government has the actual figures. Any compulsion to merge IHLs may cause anxiety among the Non-Malays. We should not force them to merge.

Other countries such as United Kingdom, United States of America and Canada have many private IHLs. We must study these IHLs, especially on how they thrive in providing good education. Cambridge and Oxford universities or the amalgamations of many colleges are private IHLs.

After a careful inquiry into private IHLs within and outside the country, the ministry will then be able to come out with a master plan on IHLs. Judging from the quality of education in our public universities, we believe that the ministry should also study public universities in other countries. Look at the better ones.

We should leave IHLs to professionals. If we impose party politics on them, we scuttle excellence in education. Only by correct handling of IHLs can we make Malaysia a centre of excellence in education.

 Dr Tan Seng Giaw