GEORGE TOWN: Yayasan Perkasa Siswa has been tasked with identifying students affected by the recent fire in Kampung Bahagia, Sandakan, Sabah, according to Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
The Higher Education Minister said that so far, eight students have been identified and will be given necessary assistance.
“As soon as we received news of the incident, I asked Yayasan Perkasa Siswa chief executive officer Hirman Awang to check whether any of our students studying at universities here were affected.
“We hope the aid provided can ease the burden of these students, especially in enabling them to continue their studies,” he said at the Malaysia-Turkiye Education Forum 2026 here yesterday.
One of the eight identified is first-year student Sitti Farhana Nasib, 21, who received RM3,000.
“Although she is here, I believe the family is going through a difficult time after their house was completely destroyed,” Zambry said.
On April 19, a massive early morning fire tore through Kampung Bahagia in Batu Sapi, leaving up to 1,000 homes destroyed and affecting 9,007 residents in one of Sandakan’s worst fires.
Zambry said the foundation was instructed to continue identifying other affected students who have yet to come forward for help.
He said that his ministry will continue to monitor the welfare of students affected by disasters.
On the forum, Zambry said the annual meeting was a key platform for higher education cooperation between the two countries.
Held alternately between Malaysia and Turkiye, he said the forum focused on strengthening collaboration in research, academic exchanges and student mobility programmes.
“This is not just an ordinary meeting. It involves serious cooperation in ensuring collaboration in matters related to higher education.
“This includes exchanges involving researchers and lecturers, research collaboration and student mobility between Turkiye and Malaysia,” he said.
He added that discussions at the forum included exchange programmes and scholarship opportunities offered by universities in Turkiye.
Zambry said the cooperation between the two countries remains one of the most important annual collaborations for the nation’s higher education sector.
