Girl with 10A1s shocked by PSD’s rejection

IPOH: K. Kamine Devi was shocked that the Public Services Department (PSD) had turned down her application to study medicine overseas despite her having scored 10A1s in last year's SPM.

This after the PSD had issued a statement recently guaranteeing scholarships for students who scored 9As in their SPM.

Let down: Kamine showing Sivanesan her SPM results. With them are her parents B. Karunakaran, 52, and R. Ragini, 49.

What was worse was that her application for a matriculation programme was also rejected.

Kamine, 17, said she had her heart set on becoming a doctor and even participated in an attachment programme in April that exposed her to a doctor’s job.

“I couldn't believe my eyes when I found out on Sunday through the PSD website that my application was unsuccessful,” she said yesterday, adding that she checked the result of her application several times.

“I felt that my world collapsed that day,” said the former student of SMK Ahmad Boestamam in Sitiawan, about 90km from here.

Speaking at a press conference called by the Perak Health, Environment and Human Resources Committee chairman A. Sivanesan, Kamine said her quality control father who earns RM3,600 a month could not afford to send her overseas to pursue Medicine.

“I just want to become a doctor so I can serve the country,” said Kamine, who was also active in her school co-curricular activities.

Sivanesan said the rejection of Kamine’s application made a mockery of the PSD’s earlier statement.

“The PSD should have taken the top-scorers result from the Malaysian Examination Syndicate and offer scholarships to the students. It is up to the students whether to accept or reject the scholarships,” he said.

He invited parents of bright children who faced a similar predicament to see him.
“I will assist them in writing to the PSD,” he said.