PETALING JAYA, Feb 18 (Sin Chew Daily) — The Malaysia Han Culture Center and Yayasan DayaDiri are working together to launch a program to sponsor Malay students at independent Chinese high schools and national-type Chinese secondary schools to study in China.

Datuk Goh Hin San, president of Malaysian Han Culture Center, said the two-year preparation to launch the program was near completion.

The program encourages Malay students from independent Chinese high schools and national-type Chinese secondary schools who have completed SPM to continue learning Chinese in China.

Currently, more than 22% of the pupils at Chinese primary schools are made up of non-Chinese, and 80% of them are Malays while 20% are Ibans, Kadazans and Indians.

“Some of the non-Chinese pupils at Chinese primary schools continue to study at independent high schools or national-type Chinese high schools after learning Chinese for six years in primary schools.

They also take up Chinese subject in SPM. However, they do not know how to continue learning Chinese after SPM,” Goh said.

Malay students graduating from Chinese schools can consider applying for sponsorship to study in China if they are able to achieve fifth or sixth level in Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK), he said.

“Under the program, we sponsor up to 200 students to sit for HSK test each year,” he said.

The program aims to foster national integration in Malaysia as well as letting non-Chinese students from Chinese schools know that they are treasured by the society, he said.

“We hope students who pursue their studies in China cn help promote friendship between Malaysia and China when they come back,” he said.

Non-Chinese students from independent Chinese high schools and national-type Chinese secondary schools are encouraged to apply for the four-year scholarship to study in China.

For more details, please visit https://www.hsk-ibt.com.my/ydd-hsk-sponsorship/ or contact Mr Yang at 016-213-6189.