The problem is that even locals with equal or superior grades to some of these foreign scholars are not sponsored.

Each year, there are many perfect/top scorers in the A levels, polytechnics and IB programs. Yet many of them are not awarded scholarships. From sheer logic alone, it is obvious that there are locals of equal calibre to some of these foreign scholars, yet are not sponsored by the government.

I have nothing to say if we are sponsoring foreigners 100% of Harvard/Oxford calibre. But the problem is that i dont think 100% of these sponsored foreigners are. And i think that some of our own locals are of equal calibre to these sponsored foreigners. But these locals are not sponsored. They take on loans and debt.

The argument from cultural diversity does not hold either. This can be done through summer exchange/student exchange programs/international student conferences.