By : B. Suresh Ram

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Straight As should not be the main criterion for government scholarships.

The Malaysian Employers Federation said the Public Service Department scholarships should be awarded to well-rounded students, who were good at studies and extracurricular activities.

MEF executive director Samsuddin Bardan said the main thing that PSD should look for in students seeking scholarships were those ready to join the workforce the moment they graduate.

He said scholarships should not be given to students who were only academically inclined and did not know anything else.

"It should not be given to bookworms ... they are oblivious to what is happening around them," he said.
Samsuddin said it was essential that students should be involved in extra curricular activities such as sports and in various school associations.

Samsuddin said this was essential as it would inculcate values such as team spirit.

He said such a trait was important as graduates would be working with others in a company.

"They will be working with others, not working individually to achieve success like in an examination.

"As such, team spirit is important in any working environment," he said.

Samsuddin said other important criteria were general knowledge and communication skills.

He said too many job seekers, including graduates, could not even communicate properly with their co-workers.

"They don't even know what's going on around them. They don't seem to know current events," Samsuddin said.