576 students first to receive RM300 airfare subsidy

KUCHING: A total of 576 students are the first group to receive the RM300 subsidy under the ‘Graduan Pulang Sarawak’ initiative subsidy scheme (i-GPS).

The subsidy involved a sum totalling RM172,800 which will be deposited into the applicants’ respective bank account in stages.

A symbolic i-GPS presentation ceremony was officiated by Sarawak Volunteers advisor Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman at Yayasan Sarawak Building here yesterday where he handed over the subsidy to 10 students or their representatives.

Also present was Yayasan Sarawak director Azmi Bujang.

Fazzrudin, who is also Tupong assemblyman, expressed his hope that the students who received the subsidy will be motivated to put in more effort in their studies.

“We also hope that they can achieve excellence while furthering their studies and contribute back to the society and Sarawak after graduating.”

He expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for introducing this initiative to lighten the burden of the state’s students of institutions of higher learning.

“Once again, this proves that whatever promises the chief minister makes, he will fulfil them,” he stressed.

Since i-GPS was announced on January 30, the initiative has received very encouraging response, with a total of 3,471 applications received (as of March 11), of which 2,775 applications have been processed.

Fazzrudin disclosed that at present, there were 1,275 successful applications while 1,198 applications received were incomplete.

“However, the applicants concerned have been contacted and requested to complete the necessary documents to be processed,” he said, adding that 300 applications were rejected as they did not fulfil the terms and condition.