(Standing, from fourth left) Ahmad Azri and Mohd Najwan with the students who received free laptops. — ART CHEN/The Star
Twenty-eight university students from underprivileged backgrounds received laptops to help them with their studies.
The initiative aims to support students from the B40 community, giving them better access to digital learning.
Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI) contributed 16 laptops while 12 were provided by state youth, sports and entrepreneurship committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi, who is also Kota Anggerik assemblyman.
(upper row, middle, fourth left) MBI head Ahmad Azri Zainal Nor and (upper row, middle, fifth left) Selangor state executive council for youth sports and entrepreneurship Mohd Najwan Halimi with the students that received free laptops.— ART CHEN/The Star
The laptops cost RM56,000, with the funds coming from MBI and the Kota Anggerik assemblyman’s office.
MBI head Ahmad Azri Zainal Nor said the 16 laptops from MBI each come with a dongle and a SIM card to enable students to access the Internet.
Each recipient will have a 30GB monthly data plan for a year.
After the first year, students can choose to pay the subscription fee to continue the data plan.
“We want each family to have at least one laptop, which can be shared by siblings,” said Najwan, adding that the computer provision would help them to excel academically.
He said as many students could not afford to buy a laptop, this initiative would make a big difference as it would help recipients complete their assignments and coursework.
“I am grateful for this initiative as I have really needed a laptop for my coursework.
“I was using my brother’s laptop before this,” said Anis Sofea Yussoff, 19, a Politeknik Banting Selangor student who is pursuing her diploma in aircraft engineering.
Iman Al-Zahar Ahmad Redza, 19, a Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam student pursuing his diploma in sport science, also said he was happy to receive a laptop as it would help him manage his assignments.
“I am studying software engineering so I really needed a laptop. I’m very grateful and happy to have one,” said Wan Nor Darwisyah Aimi Wan Zulhafiza, 20, an undergraduate at University Kebangsaan Malaysia.
