KUALA LUMPUR: The state government will continue to provide air ticket subsidy for Sarawak students studying at higher learning institutions in the Peninsula and Sabah who return to the state to celebrate festivals with their families.
“The RM300 subsidy will be paid twice during the festive periods if a student is celebrating two festivals,” Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg announced during a breaking of fast event with Sarawakian students organised by Yayasan Sarawak at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here last Friday.
“During the last Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak Town Hall session, we approved the initiative to ease the burden of Sarawakian students flying home to Sarawak starting from Chinese New Year 2019,” he said.
Abang Johari explained that the subsidy was given twice as some Sarawakians were celebrating more than one festivities.
“This is because in Sarawak, there are a lot of mixed marriages. Maybe the father is a Dayak while the mother is a Malay, so they, too, celebrate Gawai along with another festivity.
“The subsidies and incentives from the state government show that our economy is in good shape and allows the people to live in comfort.”
Abang Johari hoped that Yayasan Sarawak would continue to provide loans and scholarships to students in various disciplines to aid the state’s development agenda.
During the event, the Chief Minister performed Tarawih prayers with the crowd. He and his wife Datin Patinggi Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang also gave out Raya packets to the students.
Also present were Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar and Sarawak State Secretary Tan Sri Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani.
