Why wealthy Malaysians want a UK education – and what that means for Malaysia

For Kuala Lumpur property agent David Lau, securing a British education for his children is more than just a status symbol; it’s a passport to a world of opportunity.

“I realised that many of my clients who are very successful studied at only a handful of colleges,” said Lau, citing Sheffield and Nottingham universities, among others.

Disillusioned with Malaysia’s education system, he enrolled his two children in international schools that follow the University of Cambridge’s International General Certificate of Secondary Education syllabus to set them on the path to a British university education.

“Being Chinese, it is difficult to get into Malaysian universities anyway,” Lau said, referring to the racial quotas that favour Malay applicants.

“So why trouble my kids with that and just aspire for more?”