RM500 one-off airfare aid for 7,095 new public higher education students

File photo of an AirBorneo plane taking off from Kuching International Airport. Photo credit: Ukas

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Sept 16: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tonight announced a one-off RM500 special assistance for domestic flight ticket purchases for each eligible new student entering public higher education institutions for the September and October intakes this year.

Anwar said the assistance, which covers students entering public universities, polytechnics and community colleges, was introduced in response to concerns over high airfares.

“This initiative will benefit 7,095 students who need to travel by domestic flights between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan to begin their studies,” he said when officiating the National-Level Malaysia Day 2026 celebration at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.

According to a media release that follows, the RM500 assistance will be credited directly into the bank accounts of eligible students, allowing their families to use the funds towards the purchase of their children’s flight tickets without having to go through a reimbursement process.

The details on the implementation would be announced by the Transport Ministry in the near future.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening the FLYsiswa programme and represented another measure by the Madani government to help Malaysians cope with the rising cost of living, particularly parents who incur additional expenses when their children pursue higher education across regions.

The Madani government acknowledged that distance and travel costs should not be a barrier for Malaysian children to pursue knowledge and build their future.

Although the RM500 assistance might not cover the full cost of travel, but Madani government said it would provide tangible relief to families as their children embarked on an important stage of their lives.

“This is the Madani government’s effort to listen to the people’s voices, understand their burdens and ensure that assistance reaches those who need it directly,” the statement added. — DayakDaily