Anwar explained that quotas were introduced to help Bumiputera students because of their low numbers in engineering and medical faculties in the 1960s and 1970s.

If the system was not retained, he said, it could cause an imbalance in the number of Malays in institutions of higher learning, including in certain disciplines.

“I agree that the quotas should be maintained, but we must find another way to give spots to intelligent non-Malay and non-Bumiputera students who have excellent results so they are not left out,” he said during a forum at Universiti Utara Malaysia in Sintok, Kedah, today.

“We have to defend the interests of the Bumiputeras and Malays as in the Federal Constitution and, at the same time, give space (in universities) for others who are deserving.

“We have to reward meritocracy, and there must be a fair balance … we shouldn’t break their spirit. We have to help the intelligent (non-Malay and non-Bumiputera students) to get into the faculty of their choice.”

He was responding to a student’s question about the quota system and meritocracy in the education system.

Questioning the segregation and lack of meritocracy in institutions of higher learning, the student said it was leading to brain drain by the country’s top non-Malay and non-Bumiputera students.

However, Anwar stressed that setting aside the quota policy would be an unpopular move and would cause tension.

“If we decide to put aside quotas for Bumiputeras, there will be an ‘all-out war’.

“It will be a big political issue, and certain parties will blame me for losing the Malays’ quotas,” he said.

Anwar said despite the quotas, Malaysia was among the countries with the best treatment of minority groups, although he acknowledged there were matters that could be improved further.

“There are other countries where minorities do not get places at all, but let’s not use those countries as an example,” he said.

“We should set a good example.”