Chow (third from right) and Beh (second from right), along with other scholarship recipients. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
THE financial burden of having to work and save every sen just to continue his tertiary education has been lifted from the shoulders of Beh Jia Liang.
The electrical engineering undergraduate from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) said he was grateful to get a scholarship from the Penang Future Foundation (PFF).
Beh, 21, said he was relieved at not having to worry about paying for the remainder of his course.
“I have two more years left to complete my degree and the scholarship will cover the cost,” he said.
Beh said he had been giving mathematics tuition online to pay for his university fees.
“This scholarship is a lifeline for me and provides a living allowance.
“Being awarded this scholarship instils in me a profound sense of responsibility,” he said.
Beh along with three other recipients were at a press conference to share how the scholarships had helped them.
Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said PFF played a pivotal role in nurturing Malaysia’s brightest minds, despite facing funding challenges.
“We remain committed to attracting and retaining talents to spearhead the state’s growth over the next 50 years.
“A total of 700 students have received the PFF scholarships between 2015 and 2022, enabling them to pursue undergraduate degrees in various fields, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Accountancy, and Finance.
“The recent 2023 selection process saw an additional 43 students awarded the prestigious Penang Scholar award and eight selected for the Mutiara Scholar award,” he said.
Chow, who is also the chairman of the PFF selection committee, said the foundation had less than RM10mil left.
He pointed out that PFF started with RM40mil a decade ago and would run out of funds in the next few years.
“The available funds had steadily depleted every year.
“We call upon key industry players to step forward and contribute towards securing the future of PFF, ensuring that it remains a lifeline for gifted and deserving students,” he said.
Ultimately, local industries would be reaping the rewards of the talent development programme through this scholarship, said Chow.
“The scholars are bound to work in the private sector in Penang for up to five years.
“So, we are appealing to the industry to contribute to PFF as these scholars will eventually work for them,” he said.
The scholarship has two categories, the Penang Scholar category is for those with strong academic performance, while the Mutiara Scholar category is for those from underprivileged backgrounds.
Chow said a total 475 PFF scholars had graduated and 214, who have already completed their service bond, were still working in multinational corporations (MNC) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Penang.
Meanwhile, another 254 scholars are still serving their bonds.
PFF scholars are bonded to work in any organisation of their choice in Penang for between two and five years, depending on the amount of their scholarship.
