SHAH ALAM: The government is willing to consider subsidies for flight tickets for tertiary students flying between Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government understands the burden faced by students, especially those who wanted to return to their hometowns.
"It makes sense to have subsidies for flight tickets for students. Maybe we can negotiate this matter with the airlines and consider giving it (the subsidies) once a year.
"I accept this as a problem that plagues the students. Not all students can afford to purchase tickets and it could be a burden to them," he said during a dialogue session with Universiti Teknologi Mara's (UiTM) Student Representative Council held at its main campus here today.
Anwar said this when replying to a question from a student representative council member from UiTM Negri Sembilan.
Present was Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Abdul Razak Jaafar, UiTM Board of Directors chairman Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Raduan Che Ros and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Roziah Mohd Janor.
In another development, Anwar said the government will be expanding the e-wallet financial aid to all tertiary students.
"I have decided that the e-wallet facility should also benefit all (tertiary) students," he said in reply to a question from another student leader from UiTM Melaka.
The student representative had asked if the e-wallet, which is limited to those aged between 18 and 20, should include students aged between 21 and 23.
During the tabling of the 2023 Budget in February, Anwar, who is finance minister, announced financial aid in the form of an e-wallet worth RM200 to Malaysian youth aged between 18 and 20.
A total of 241 UiTM student representative council members attended the session.
