Sarawak Budget 2024: RM32.5m allocated for underprivileged tertiary students

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has allocated RM32.5 million to introduce two initiatives under the 2024 state budget to assist underprivileged private and public higher learning institution (IPTS and IPTA) students.

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (pix) said the first initiative was to provide book vouchers valued at RM500 to students coming from families with household per capita income of RM1,500 and below per month.

“This assistance is expected to benefit 35,000 university and college students. A sum of RM17.5 million will be allocated for this purpose next year,“ he said when tabling the budget at the state legislative assembly here today.

He said a fund of RM15 million was also proposed under the budget to provide free laptops for Sarawakian IPTA and IPTS students from families of the same income bracket.

“This (free laptop) assistance is expected to benefit 5,000 students (and), promises to empower our students with the essential technology they need to excel in their academic pursuits,“ he added.

In addition to the two initiatives, Abang Johari said the Sarawak government would continue to assist Sarawakian graduates who have repaid a minimum 30 per cent of their Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) loans.

For this, he said RM30 million had been allocated under the budget to provide a 30 per cent loan repayment discount as an incentive for the settlement of the outstanding loan balance.

Other initiatives for educational assistance programmes under the budget include RM35 million as an operating grant for University Technology Sarawak, RM5 million operating grant for Kolej Laila Taib and RM6 million for the Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship. -Bernama