Premier: Free university education costs RM200m for 8,000 new students

BETONG: Sarawak’s free university education programme is costing RM200 million this year for 8,000 new students, with the expenditure set to rise as more intakes progress through their studies.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the programme was designed to provide inclusive access to higher education for Sarawakians regardless of race or social background.

“Today, the cost alone is RM200 million for 8,000 new students,” he said when officiating at the Sarawakku Sayang programme here today (Sept 26).

Abang Johari said the programme offered 64 university programmes, mainly science-based, while also covering fields including law, psychology, finance, banking and architecture.

He said the cost would increase as each new intake progressed through its four years of study.

He explained that when the first intake moved into its second year, the Government would be supporting two intakes simultaneously. When the second intake moved into its third year, three intakes would be supported, rising to four intakes when the third intake reached its fourth year.

Using the RM200 million annual cost as the basis, Abang Johari said supporting four intakes simultaneously would bring the cost to RM800 million.

“If we do Masters, add another RM200 million, RM1 billion,” he said.

Abang Johari said the state would therefore need sufficient income to sustain the free education initiative.

“Insya-Allah, under GPS, our income will continue to increase,” he said.

He stressed that the education policy was inclusive and should provide equal opportunities to Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera Sarawakians.

“Our policy is, don’t be exclusive,” he said.

Abang Johari said focusing on a single race could result in that community becoming isolated from the wider structure of the new era, where interaction and engagement between different communities were increasingly important.

He said knowledge did not choose race or background.

He cited Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang, who was born in Taiwan and later moved to the United States, as an example of how knowledge and ability can transcend background.

Abang Johari said Sarawak should continue to preserve its cultures while placing greater emphasis on education and knowledge to prepare its people for the economy of 2030 and beyond.

He also pointed to senior leadership positions in the Public Works Department and PETROS as examples where individuals were selected based on their ability to implement policies rather than their racial background.

He said the free education initiative was ultimately intended to prepare Sarawak’s young people for the new economy while ensuring opportunities remained open to all.