KUCHING, March 25 2026: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen (picture) has appealed to the state government to disburse the stipend assistance fund to Sarawakian students studying at four state-owned universities under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) without further delay.
He said it is now more than a month into the first year of their studies, according to many students, they have yet to receive the stipend.
“While the payment of the tuition fees to the four universities can wait and will continue the courses without any payment, but the stipend assistance fund cannot wait because many of the students rely on the payment for their daily expenses,” he said in a statement.
“As such, I urge the state government to quickly disburse the stipend to those Sarawakian students,” Chong, who is also Stampin MP, said.
He also re-iterated his call for the state government not to forget Sarawakian students who are studying in public universities, such as Universiti Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Teknologi Mara, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and other private universities, should be left out of FTES.
“They are equally in need assistance from the state government under the FTES but sadly they are left out under the scheme,” he added.
Chong proposed that the state government review the FTES to include paying tuition fees of all Sarawakian students studying in public universities.
He added most of these students only need to pay 10 per cent of their tuition fees while the 90 per cent is subsidised by the federal government.
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