Ever heard of the village champion?

I saw this write-up about a local university's convocation ceremony and noticed the categories listed for one of the academic awards. Apparently the uni has two categories for its 'Royal Education Award' - Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera.

For the life of me, I can't see the point. The immediate implication is that a specific 'Bumiputera' category is there to ensure that a Bumi gets an award regardless of who actually tops the list. In other words, if the highest ranking Bumi is at, say, number 12, he/she would still receive an excellence award. 

Now, I have no proof to say this is the actual justification. But it sure does come across as such.

Shouldn't we be aiming to produce internationally competitive Malaysians? Don't ever expect academic institutions overseas or international employers to ever make specific allowances for the 'best Malaysian' candidate, let along a 'best Malaysian Bumiputera' one. 

Talk about crutches that create disabilities. 

The unfortunate thing is, because of this doubt that is being created about a Bumiputera's ability to top an award selection list, the recipient will always be faced with the notion that he/she would only have won it if the categories are separate. Which would be a very unfair deduction and takes away the person's right to being given the top student accolade beyond dispute. Whatever it is, everyone loses. 

  

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Graduan UPM perlu teruskan legasi kecemerlangan 

2010/10/10 Berita Harian Online

PENERIMA Pingat Emas Alumni Aini (dari kiri) Azeqa Ma'rof, Hadiah Pingat Emas Canselor; Teng Wern Tyet, Hadiah Anugerah Pelajaran Diraja Bumiputera; Nurul Shazini Ramli, Hadiah Anugerah Diraja Bukan Bumiputera; Lau Cin Dee, pada Majlis Konvokesyen ke-34 UPM, semalam.

SERDANG: Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah meminta graduan Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) meneruskan legasi kecemerlangan universiti itu bagi menjayakan program transformasi negara bagi meraih status berpendapatan tinggi yang mantap dan menyeluruh. 

Baginda yang juga Canselor UPM, bertitah bagi mencapai hasrat itu, graduan perlu berusaha mempertajamkan minda untuk melihat fenomena secara global, merancang masa depan dengan pacuan lebih cekap dan berkesan.

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"It's a beautiful day for the race, don't you think?"
"Race? What race?"
"The human one."