State Education Fund strengthens inclusive education agenda in Sandakan
Published on: Wed, Aug 20, 2025 Text Size: Arifin (seven from right) presenting the TPNS financial support to one of the top-performing SPM 2024 students, in the presence of Gulamhaidar (six from right). SANDAKAN: The State Government, through Yayasan Sabah Group, continues to strengthen the inclusive education agenda with the handing over of State Education Fund (TPNS) assistance to top-performing and needy students at the Libaran Multipurpose Hall, here, Tuesday. The ceremony was officiated by State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who is also the Chairman of the TPNS Implementation Committee.
Advertisement Also present was Yayasan Sabah Director cum TPNS Deputy Executive Chairman Datuk Seri Gulamhaidar. A total of 39 top-performing students consisting of 16 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students, two Malaysian University English Test (Muet) students, 17 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) students and four STPM (rural school) students received RM1,000 each, as well as RM500 for each rural STPM student to help alleviate their financial burden in pursuing higher education. In addition, a total of 441 students from the B40 group received a one-off financial aid, consisting of 17 students from Sandakan Polytechnic, 143 from the Sandakan Industrial Training Institute (ILP), 35 from Sandakan Community College, 51 from the Sandakan TVET Skills College, 104 undergraduates from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), two postgraduate students from UMS, 86 students from the Open University Malaysia (OUM) Sandakan Learning Centre and three students from higher education institutions within the Sandakan district. At the same event, a total of 50 students also received assistance in the form of eyeglasses. Three schools received the Adopted School Assistance - SK Sungai Manila, Sandakan and SK Pulau Timbang, Sandakan, with each receiving RM5,000, and SMK Tongod (RM10,000). Sekolah Pondok Miftahussalam Sandakan received RM6,500. Arifin also presented the Sandakan District Student Icon Honorarium to Mohammad Azmir bin Misnani in recognition of his outstanding achievements in both academic and co-curricular activities. In the same event, educational assistance was also provided to students through several existing initiatives including the School Effort Encouragement Assistance (Bagus), the General Student Excellence Scheme (Sukses), Special Examination Assistance (Bakti) and the Best Student Incentive Aid (Bistari), as part of ongoing efforts to support the development of the State's talent resources. TPNS is a proactive initiative by the State Government through the Yayasan Sabah Group in an effort to ease the financial burden of low-income families. It also reflects the commitment to ensure that education is accessible to all segments of society. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
18 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Sabah smallholders hit 98pct MSPO certification milestone
KOTA KINABALU: More than 30,000 smallholders in Sabah, covering over 191,000 hectares of plantation, have achieved the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification as of April 2025. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this represented a certification rate of 97.62 per cent, which is among the highest in the country. "In Sabah, we are making progress where about 97 per cent of the planted area and over 92 per cent in Sarawak are now certified under the MSPO. "However, we must push toward 100 per cent inclusion, particularly for independent smallholders. "We are fully cognisant of the challenges the industry faces. Meeting evolving global standards, ensuring environmental integrity, and responding to market pressures demand proactive and innovative action. "This achievement underscores our collective progress and the importance of continued collaboration between government agencies, industry players, and smallholder communities," he said at the East Malaysia Palm Oil Forum (EMPOF2025) at a hotel here today. His speech was delivered by Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe. Hajiji also said that the State Government has adopted a transformative solution known as the Jurisdictional Approach for Sustainable Palm Oil (JASPO). Launched in 2015, the JASPO initiative sets a bold target to achieve 100 per cent certified sustainable palm oil production across the entire state by 2030. He added the approach is not merely administrative, as it is a governance mechanism that allows all players in the palm oil value chain to work together under a unified framework. "It aligns Sabah's ambitions with national and international standards such as MSPO, RSPO, and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and ensures that no stakeholder is left behind, especially smallholders, who account for over 27 per cent of Sabah's production," he said. Hajiji said Sabah has sustained its leadership with 1.48 million hectares under cultivation and annual output surpassing 4.2 million metric tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO). He said that Sabah and Sarawak together accounted for over 55 per cent of the country's total oil palm planted areas, which helped shape Malaysia's standing as the world's second-largest palm oil producer and a leading source of a sustainable and responsibly managed supply chain. "However, this success story did not happen overnight, but it was the result of decades of hard work, resilience and collaboration across the supply chain from smallholders, millers and refiners to traders, researchers and policymakers.
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
State Education Fund strengthens inclusive education agenda in Sandakan
Published on: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Published on: Wed, Aug 20, 2025 Text Size: Arifin (seven from right) presenting the TPNS financial support to one of the top-performing SPM 2024 students, in the presence of Gulamhaidar (six from right). SANDAKAN: The State Government, through Yayasan Sabah Group, continues to strengthen the inclusive education agenda with the handing over of State Education Fund (TPNS) assistance to top-performing and needy students at the Libaran Multipurpose Hall, here, Tuesday. The ceremony was officiated by State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who is also the Chairman of the TPNS Implementation Committee. Advertisement Also present was Yayasan Sabah Director cum TPNS Deputy Executive Chairman Datuk Seri Gulamhaidar. A total of 39 top-performing students consisting of 16 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students, two Malaysian University English Test (Muet) students, 17 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) students and four STPM (rural school) students received RM1,000 each, as well as RM500 for each rural STPM student to help alleviate their financial burden in pursuing higher education. In addition, a total of 441 students from the B40 group received a one-off financial aid, consisting of 17 students from Sandakan Polytechnic, 143 from the Sandakan Industrial Training Institute (ILP), 35 from Sandakan Community College, 51 from the Sandakan TVET Skills College, 104 undergraduates from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), two postgraduate students from UMS, 86 students from the Open University Malaysia (OUM) Sandakan Learning Centre and three students from higher education institutions within the Sandakan district. At the same event, a total of 50 students also received assistance in the form of eyeglasses. Three schools received the Adopted School Assistance - SK Sungai Manila, Sandakan and SK Pulau Timbang, Sandakan, with each receiving RM5,000, and SMK Tongod (RM10,000). Sekolah Pondok Miftahussalam Sandakan received RM6,500. Arifin also presented the Sandakan District Student Icon Honorarium to Mohammad Azmir bin Misnani in recognition of his outstanding achievements in both academic and co-curricular activities. In the same event, educational assistance was also provided to students through several existing initiatives including the School Effort Encouragement Assistance (Bagus), the General Student Excellence Scheme (Sukses), Special Examination Assistance (Bakti) and the Best Student Incentive Aid (Bistari), as part of ongoing efforts to support the development of the State's talent resources. TPNS is a proactive initiative by the State Government through the Yayasan Sabah Group in an effort to ease the financial burden of low-income families. It also reflects the commitment to ensure that education is accessible to all segments of society. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
MP reiterates call for direct Sandakan international flights
Published on: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Published on: Wed, Aug 20, 2025 By: Winnie Kasmir Text Size: Suhaimi said he had raised this matter during the winding-up session of the State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister at the First Meeting of the Fifth Term of the 16th Sabah State Assembly. SANDAKAN: Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir has called for the immediate introduction of direct international flights to Sandakan to boost the tourism industry and the local economy in Sabah's east coast. He said Sandakan is already well-known as an eco-tourism destination with major attractions such as the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Gomantong Caves, marine life-rich islands and tropical rainforests recognised as global treasures. Advertisement 'I was very encouraged by the remarks of the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, who said that Sandakan's tourism products are entirely nature-based. 'Next year we will celebrate Visit Malaysia Year 2026. Unfortunately, Sandakan has not been prioritised from the beginning of this year as a tourism hub,' he said. Suhaimi said he had raised this matter during the winding-up session of the State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister at the First Meeting of the Fifth Term of the 16th Sabah State Assembly. The Sabah Umno Information Chief also emphasised that Sandakan's main weakness lies in its limited flight connectivity, noting that flights from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan remain too few. 'Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan are only twice daily, even though nearly half the passengers on board are tourists. 'More worrying is that Sandakan still does not have direct international flights, making it difficult for foreign tourists to come here. 'In 2018, Sandakan was already allocated for direct international flights, but until today this has not been realised. I want to know what plans the State Government and Ministry have to ensure this truly becomes a reality,' he said. Suhaimi said introducing direct international flights to Sandakan was crucial as it would not only open wider access to international tourism markets but also boost economic opportunities for the people on Sabah's east coast. 'Sandakan must be made the main gateway for tourists entering the east coast of Sabah. 'I urge the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, together with the Transport of Malaysia Ministry, to act immediately to ensure direct international flights to Sandakan are established in the near future,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
