Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg (centre) arriving at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex on Monday (Nov 11). - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
KUCHING: The Sarawak government will give RM1,200 pocket money to cash-strapped Sarawakian students in higher learning institutions in Malaysia next year, says Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
He said RM30mil would be allocated in the 2025 state budget for this special financial assistance, benefiting 25,000 students from lower-income families who have a monthly household income of RM1,500 or below.
“The money is to be spent on food and essential goods to help them mitigate the cost of living,” Abang Johari said when tabling yesterday’s RM15.8bil state budget in the Sarawak legislative assembly.
This is the largest budget in Sarawak’s history, with RM4.9bil allocated for operating expenditure and RM10.9bil for development.
Abang Johari said the state government would also continue the book voucher and free laptop initiatives introduced in August for Sarawakian students from families with a monthly household income of RM1,500 and below.
He added that RM2mil would be allocated for the RM500 book vouchers and RM30.5mil to provide free laptops to 10,166 eligible students who have enrolled in public and private institutions.
“This assistance will empower our students with the essential technology they need to excel in their academic pursuits,” he said.
Abang Johari also announced the Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak (SKAS) initiative, which will provide low-income Sarawakians residing in the state with financial assistance of RM250 to RM800 annually.
He said RM450mil would be allocated for this initiative next year to benefit 850,000 recipients.
Under this initiative, households with an income of RM5,000 and below will receive RM800, senior citizens without spouses or children and an income of RM5,000 and below will receive RM400, and single individuals with an income of RM2,500 and below will receive RM250.
“This assistance will help them purchase basic food items such as rice, flour and cooking oil,” said Abang Johari.
“With this assistance, I may say that everyone will have food on their table.”
