GEORGE TOWN: The Sabah government will directly channel the RM600 one-off assistance for the purchase of flight tickets to Sabahan students studying at higher education institutions in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan very soon.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pix) said this follows after data on all eligible students was made available for the aid.
He also hopes that this initiative, involving an allocation of RM10 million, can alleviate the burden on students who are less able to afford flight tickets, especially during emergencies and celebrations.
“Considering that ticket prices are quite high, with some students unable to afford them, it’s a burden. Therefore, the state government is assisting them,” he told reporters after attending a breaking of fast event for Sabah students from higher education institutions in Peninsular Malaysia at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas here tonight.
Earlier, Hajiji announced that the Sabah government will provide a one-time subsidy of RM600 for the purchase of flight tickets to students from Sabah studying at Higher Education Institutions (IPT) in the Peninsula, Sarawak and Labuan.
Meanwhile, Hajiji, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Sabah, announced that the Sabah Foundation Group has allocated RM67.4 million this year to enable more students from the state to further their studies both domestically and abroad.
He said the allocation amount has increased compared to RM53.8 million last year, demonstrating the state government’s efforts to improve the quality of life and education standards for the people of Sabah.
“The state government has also increased the Sabah Government Scholarship Fund from RM50 million to RM100 million to alleviate the burden on students pursuing higher education,” he said.
He also said various enhanced assistance initiatives are available, including for children from B40 families who successfully pursue studies at higher education institutions including the IPT Registration Cash Assistance (BUDI) and Special Examination Cash Assistance (BAKTI).
Hajiji said a total of 124,141 Sabah students from various disciplines have received assistance totaling RM952.2 million through the Sabah Foundation Group since 1967, covering scholarships, bursaries and higher education loans.
The breaking of fast event was attended by approximately 1,400 Sabah students studying at higher education institutions in the Peninsula. -Bernama