Sabah passes bill to fund students' tertiary education

 By Olivia Miwil - December 9, 2021 @ 6:11pm

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also state finance minister, said the bill aims to allocate provisions for the purpose of education in the state. -NSTP/MOHD ADAM ARININ

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state legislative assembly today passed a bill to amend the Government Trust Funds Enactment 1964 and establish the Sabah State Education Trust Fund, aimed at helping students further their education.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also state finance minister, said the bill aims to allocate provisions for the purpose of education in the state.

"The fund will be a sponsoring body for Sabah students to continue their studies at higher learning institutes.

"This trust fund will help students pay tuition cost expenses at certificate level up to degree level, student activity management payments and any expenses approved by the committee.

"It will be jointly managed by the existing Yayasan Sabah Education Development Division," he said, adding the state finance ministry's permanent secretary will chair the Trust.

Hajiji said the setting up of the trust fund group can spur organisations and philanthropists to contribute tax-exempted donations.

Assemblymen from Usukan, Senallang, Sindumin, Tungku, Kadamaian, Kunak, Kemabong, Darau and Tanjung Aru as well as appointed assemblyman Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee participated in the debate for the bill.

Earlier, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Senallang), Datuk Ewon Benedick (Upko-Kadamaian) and Norazlinah Arif (Warisan-Kunak) had raised the issue that underprivileged children, particularly from rural areas, should be given equal opportunities in securing financial assistance.

The trio had also said that examinations result should not be the yardstick for financial help as children in rural areas lacked opportunity, resources and facilities compared to those in urban areas.

Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Independent-Sindumin) had posed a question whether the fund might be used to educate immigrant or stateless children as problems might arise when they grow up as part of the adult population in the state.

Datuk Junz Wong (Warisan- Tanjung Aru), describing the bill as "noble" and would help eradicate poverty through education, hoped that Chinese school students would also benefit from the fund.