Three student councils each receive RM150,000
KOTA KINABALU: Three higher learning institute (IPT) student councils were given a pleasant surprise when Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor announced a contribution of RM50,000 each to assist them in their future activities.
Hajiji made the announcement at the end of the meeting with leaders of the student councils from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Mara Technology University (UiTM) Kota Kinabalu campus and Universiti Malaya Sabah students (Permasa) at Menara Kinabalu, near here on Tuesday.
Expressing delight to be able to sit down, engage and exchange views with the representatives of higher learning institution students from Sabah, Hajiji said the State Government under his leadership is committed to listening to the ideas and opinions of the youths like the student representatives.
The Chief Minister also responded to several issues raised by the respective student council presidents such as water supply problem, the proposal for a Rumah Siswa SMJ programme to help students facing accommodation problems, security issues as well as high airfare.
He assured them that the State Government would be looking into all the issues for the benefit of the students.
He said the youths, particularly those in higher learning institutions are valuable human capital for the state to progress as well as help to realise the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya development plan.
“I hope the Sabah university students’ leadership will work together with the State Government to ensure the success of the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya,” he said.
Hence, the State Government was going all out to help students get the best from education through various initiatives and programmes such as the one-off cash assistance for IPT registrations whereby eligible students going for degree studies will get RM2,000 and RM1,500 for those going for diplomas.
Leading the UMS student representatives was Eliezer Nevall Anthony, while UiTM was represented by Shahirul Azri Aman Shah and Permasa by Mohd Amirul Adanan.
The meeting was coordinated by the Institut Kerjasama Kerajaan dan Rakyat (Ikrar) of the Chief Minister’s Department.
Earlier, the Chief Minister also met with the student wings or Friends of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) which was led by Bayu Saputra Rizal.