PerantiSiswa tablets resold

PETALING JAYA: The act of some PerantiSiswa recipients reselling their free Samsung Galaxy Tab online has drawn flak from social media users.

A screenshot of an advertisement selling the device has gone viral after a reseller said he wanted to sell it off to pay for an upgrade to an iPad.

“Got it from PerantiSiswa – didn’t even use it. Reason to sell: because I want to upgrade to an iPad for my studies.

“I need a lot of writing to take notes,” the reseller said, putting a quote at RM900.

PerantiSiswa is a government programme that provides higher education students from the B40 group with free tablets.

The advertiser’s move was blasted by netizens, who called the person “ungrateful”.

“Students took the free PerantiSiswa and sold them back to buy iPad. Maybe he’s not even going to buy the iPad, probably an iPhone,” a Twitter user that goes by the handle @lemantroye said.

“It’s not nice when you get it for free and resell it just to buy an iPad. I feel sorry for other students who are struggling.

“Be thankful when you get it and take care of it well,” @ainaamongtae_ replied.

In a Facebook group, the same screenshot was shared, with some commenters claiming that there were other recipients selling their devices online through Carousell, Mudah.my and Facebook Marketplace.

Checks by The Star on the online marketplace found several scalpers have been reselling the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 received from PerantiSiswa.

“PerantiSiswa (tablet) for sale because I need money,” an account on Mudah.my said, selling the device at RM600.

Another reseller on Facebook Marketplace was found touting the “rarely used” devices given under PerantiSiswa for RM390.

In September, Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said all recipients under the programme would receive the latest Samsung Galaxy tablet model along with original accessories such as keyboards and styluses.

The programme is to benefit over 400,000 poor students from B40 families.

Under the terms and conditions of the programme, the students are barred from reselling the devices to any parties.

As of press time, there was no official statement from the ministry regarding possible action against the resellers.

Muar’s incumbent MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman tweeted that the student should not have resold the device but returned it to the ministry if not needed.

“I looked for the advertisement again, but I couldn’t find it. Please do not sell (the tablet).

“The government has given it for use and there are many more who need it.

“One-third of students in Malaysia do not have gadgets. In Sabah and Sarawak, half of the students are deprived of it, too.

“(You) can hand it back (to the ministry) so it can be delivered to those who need it,” he said yesterday.

When contacted, Annuar said he was disappointed over the matter, and will respond in detail tomorrow.

“I am deeply saddened (about the reselling),” he told The Star.