KUCHING, Oct 16 2026: State Legislative Member (SLM) for Tanjong Datu Azizul Annuar Adenan has expressed his concern that beneficiaries of Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) may work elsewhere, such as Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, after they have graduated, instead of working in Sarawak.
He said the looming specter of brain drain is most critical vulnerability.
"We are investing roughly RM400 million a year of taxpayer money to produce world-class graduates.
"Because the scheme carries no service bond, what stops Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Western multinationals from poaching our best engineering and tech minds the moment they graduate?" he asked during the debate on the Supply Bill 2027 in the State Legislative Assembly today.
"If we fund their degrees only to watch them board flights abroad, we risk becoming a tuition-paying incubator for foreign economies," he stressed.
He urged the state government to address glaring vulnerabilities in the current framework.
"While this scheme brilliantly supports students in state-owned universities, it creates an unintended inequality. What of the Anak Sarawak studying the exact same engineering or medical degree at other Malaysian public institutions like UNIMAS, UiTM, or local TVET institutions? Are their families any less deserving of state support?" he asked.
He suggested that the state government mandates and incentivize state-linked giants like Petros and Sarawak Energy Berhad, alongside foreign investors in the green energy and hydrogen hubs, to partner directly with FTES institutions.
"Every graduating cohort must have a guaranteed, high-wage local job track mapped out before they collect their scroll," he said.
He also suggested that rather than relying on restrictive legal bonds, which often breed resentment, the state government uses "carrots instead of sticks".
"We should introduce state income tax rebates, housing assistance grants, or startup incubation funds specifically for FTES graduates who choose to build their careers right here in Sarawak for their first three years," Azzizul Annuar said.
He said FTES is not merely a social welfare payout; it is an equity investment in the sovereign wealth of the people.
"If we refine its mechanics, plug the leakage of brain drain through robust local career ecosystems, and ensure fiscal equity across all institutions, Sarawak will not just educate its youth. We will empower them to build a global powerhouse right here on our own soil," he stressed.
"When our state leadership committed RM250 million under the 2026 Budget, followed by RM200 million for 2027, scaling toward an annual investment of RM400 million, it sent an unmistakable message to every family in Sarawak that their financial standing will never be a barrier to their child’s potential," he said.
He added by fully absorbing tuition fees for undergraduate degrees across the state-owned institutions—such as Swinburne, Curtin, UTS, i-CATS, and CENTEXS, the state government is opening doors that were once firmly shut for working-class families.
He said the inclusion of over 64 future-focused disciplines, from STEM and Computer Science to Medicine, Law, and Green Technology, directly aligns with the Post-Covid Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
He said the provision of an RM15,000 annual living stipend for underprivileged B40 students ensures that they are not forced to choose between paying rent and pursuing an education, saying that unlike traditional state loans or rigid scholarship bonds, FTES is non-bonded.
"It places trust in our youth, allowing them to thrive without being legally anchored by punitive debt," he added.
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