By Hamidah Atan

PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA - Female undergraduates continue to dominate local universities if this year's number of successful applicants is anything to go by.

Of 40,366 successful applicants for the 2009/2010 academic session, 65 per cent or roughly two out of three were females.

'We are not gender-biased but there is no way the ministry can stabilise university intake involving genders as admission is strictly based on meritocracy,' Higher Education director-general Datuk Dr Radin Umar

Radin Sohadi said in a lighthearted manner when announcing this year's successful applications for first degree programmes at his office yesterday.

Meritocracy for admission to local universities is made up of 90 per cent academic scores and 10 per cent co-curriculum.

'Let the system run its natural course as we have been facing this so-called phenomenon almost every year,' he said in jest.

A total of 61,027 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and matriculation students as well as those with equivalent qualifications had applied for places at local universities this year.

'However, only 40,366 or 83.6 per cent have succeeded, an increase of 0.4 per cent from last year's academic session.

This includes 3,599 places offered by Universiti Sains Malaysia.'

Of the total number of successful applicants, 27,829 were Bumiputeras, 10,116 Chinese and the remaining Indians.

He said 24,581 were science stream students and the remaining were from arts stream.

For competitive programmes, 945 students had been offered medicine, 194

dentistry and 288 pharmacy.

A total of 1,184 will study chemical engineering, 2,672 electric and electronic engineering, 2,455 mechanical engineering, 369 law and

1,182 accountancy.

Radin Umar said 69 new programmes relating to engineering, education, management and entrepreneurship, applied sciences, arts and fine arts, economy, marketing and statistics had been introduced.

Offer letters have been issued, starting yesterday.

'They must let us know if they accept the offers before or by Thursday (June 25).'

Those who fail in their applications can forward their appeal within 10 days from yesterday. Closing date is on June 28.

The relevant websites can be surfed at http://jpt.uum. edu.my, hp://www.jpt.utm.my or http://upu.mohe.gov.my.

For enquiries, they can call the ministry's hotline at 03-88835858, its helpline at 03-88835848 or send SMS by typing UPU RESULT (MyKad number) to 15888.