Use SST revenue to fund student aid, improve campus facilities, say student leaders
PETALING JAYA : Student leaders and education advocates are urging the government to allocate more funds to support undegraduates—especially those from the B40 income group.
They argue that such reinvestment would transform the recently expanded sales and service tax (SST) into a force for good.
Although higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir has commissioned a study on SST's impact on the education sector, student groups and civil society organisations say immediate measures are necessary to relieve the financial strain felt by vulnerable communities.
Lim Jing Jet.
University of Malaya Students' Union (Umsu) vice-president Lim Jing Jet said SST revenue could be used to subsidise tuition fees, particularly for high-cost programmes.
He also said funds should be allocated towards the operating budgets of public universities to reduce their reliance on commercial pathways and help prevent the creeping privatisation of higher education.
'For example, the MBBS programme under the SATU pathway at UM will increase from RM299,200 to RM500,000 in the 2025/26 academic year. We need to ensure our institutions remain accessible,' he said.
'The government could redirect some SST funds through the higher education ministry to maintain university operations without overburdening students.'
Lim also said the SST revenue could be used to benefit students by upgrading campus infrastructure and expanding housing.
'Right now, the issue isn't just outdated facilities — it's that existing facilities can't cope with the growing student population,' he said.
'We already have around 21,000 undergraduates and 19,000 postgraduates, and there are plans to increase student numbers to 50,000 within five years.'
He said any infrastructure spending must be accompanied by clear planning and transparency.
Direct aid for students
Nazirah Abdullah.
Nazirah Abdullah, an Umsu past president, said SST revenue could be used to introduce targeted subsidies and emergency assistance.
'This includes subsidised meals on campus, discounted internet plans, free or low-cost digital devices, and financial aid for off-campus rent or transport,' she said.
She also called for mental health support, counselling, and internship allowances to be funded by the expanded SST revenue pool.
Nazirah said such measures would make a difference for B40 families by helping to alleviate the financial stress that often interferes with students' academic performance.
She added that clear communication and accountability would increase student confidence.
'When students see that SST revenue is going back into their education, it builds trust and reduces resistance to tax reforms,' she said.
Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Noor Azimah Rahim echoed these calls, saying that any tax increase should be matched by visible returns to students.
'We've seen signs of strain — more students using food banks, applying for emergency funds, or skipping meals.
'Even small increases in cost can push low-income students into hardship,' she said.
Azimah suggested that the government use SST revenue to fund campus-based support services, including counselling, affordable hostels, public transport passes, and tuition waivers.
Ali Tayyassar Razi, an international student at Universiti Malaya and former president of the Universiti Malaya International Association, said proper use of SST could enhance Malaysia's reputation as a global education hub.
Ali added that students are more focused and productive when they are financially secure.
'For foreign students, cost is always a concern. But if that cost comes with visible improvements in housing, learning tools, support — then it becomes a worthwhile investment,' he said.
'Whether local or international, students thrive when they don't have to worry about their next meal or whether they can afford textbooks.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Give cost breakdown of S'wak's ‘White House' project, state govt told
DAP's Violet Yong says Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg should disclose details such as construction, furnishing, and landscaping costs, and consultancy or design fees for the Kompleks Satria Pertiwi project. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Opposition leaders in Sarawak have called on the state government to reveal the total cost of the Kompleks Satria Pertiwi project, as well as a details of how much each item costs, in the name of transparency. They said the details should include the costs of specific items, such as construction, furnishing, landscaping and consultancy or design fees. The Satria Pertiwi, the state government's new administrative complex, also dubbed the 'White House of Sarawak', was declared open by Yang Di Pertua Negeri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar in conjunction with state permier Abang Johari Openg's birthday on Aug 4. Chong Chieng Jen. DAP's Padungan assemblyman and Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen told FMT the state government should be transparent in its use of public funds. 'The state owes the public a duty to make known how much the building costs. When the government uses public funds, there should be a breakdown of the costs,' he said. Chong noted that the state government currently lumps funding for projects under 'development expenditure', without a breakdown of costs for specific items. His party colleague Violet Yong, who is Pending assemblyman, pointed out that if the state government has nothing to hide, 'there should be no hesitation in making this information public'. Violet Yong. 'Public funds must be spent prudently and in a way that directly benefits the people, not merely to satisfy political vanity,' she told FMT. The administrative complex, located in Petra Jaya, has a resemblance of the residence and workplace of the US president in Washington DC, earning it the moniker 'White House of Sarawak'. Huge imbalance On another note, Yong said there is now a huge gap between spending on lavish projects compared with funding to meet urgent needs of rural communities. 'Time and again, we have seen the GPS government pour huge sums of money into high-profile 'showpiece' projects while ordinary Sarawakians wait for years, if not decades, for basic infrastructure and essential services,' she said. 'This is the hallmark of a government obsessed with grand image-building at the expense of bread-and-butter issues,' she added. Yong also criticised Abang Johari for his defence of the project in February when he said the previous government office Wisma Bapa Malaysia was open to the public, thus posing a significant security risk. 'If that is the justification, I must ask: how insecure was it that security could not simply be tightened there? 'More importantly, if it was indeed so insecure, what about all the other government departments still operating there? Are they not also exposed to the same so-called security risks?' she asked.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Petroleum Development Act can't supersede relevant Sarawak laws, says senator
Senator Ahmad Ibrahim disputed law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said's statement that Petronas's rights on O&G resources in Sarawak remain protected under the PDA. (Petronas pic) PETALING JAYA : The Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974 cannot supersede the relevant laws in Sarawak, especially the Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958, a senator said in disputing a statement by a federal minister. Ahmad Ibrahim said Sarawak had been producing oil and gas since the discovery of oil in Miri in 1910, some 53 years before Malaysia was formed, the Sarawak Public Communications Unit reported. Ahmad said Sarawak had developed the industry under the state's own laws way before the PDA was enacted. Apart from the PDA, he said, the other relevant laws were the Distribution of Gas Ordinance (DGO) 2016, the Sarawak Land Code, and the State Sales Tax regime. He said Section 73 of the Malaysia Act 1963 preserved all state laws in force before Malaysia was formed, which included the OMO. Moreover, the ordinance, following its amendment in 2018, granted the state full authority over petroleum licensing onshore and on its continental shelf. 'The PDA (only) applies fully in states that do not have their own petroleum laws like the OMO, and therefore, in those states, Petronas is the sole aggregator of oil and gas,' he was quoted as saying. On Tuesday, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the national oil company's rights on oil and gas resources in Sarawak remained protected under the PDA. In a written parliamentary reply, Azalina said the PDA would remain in force, in accordance with existing legal provisions. 'Petronas is vested with the ownership of petroleum, and the rights, powers, freedoms, and exclusive privileges to explore, exploit, obtain, and acquire petroleum, whether onshore or offshore Malaysia, as provided for under the Act,' she was quoted as saying. Ahmad said that under the DGO, Sarawak has exclusive authority to license and regulate domestic gas distribution, with state-owned Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) having been formally recognised by the federal government as the sole gas aggregator for Sarawak's domestic market, excluding liquefied natural gas. As for the State Sales Tax, he said, a 2020 High Court ruling upheld Sarawak's right to impose such a tax on petroleum products, noting that Petronas withdrew its appeal and settled the dues. On Feb 5, Azalina said Sarawak had accepted that the PDA, not the state ordinances, dictated the operation of Malaysia's petroleum sector. She said Sarawak's concession was among key matters agreed upon by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg during a meeting on Jan 7. On Feb 7, Anwar said the federal and Sarawak governments had agreed to Petronas and its subsidiaries retaining all existing contractual obligations, domestic and international. However, to fulfil Sarawak's aspirations in the oil and gas sector, it was agreed that the DGO will come into force on March 1, he said. 'The DGO will be read together with the PDA, and therefore Petros will act as Sarawak's aggregator,' he had said. Anwar said this after Abang Johari reiterated the state's contention that it had regulatory authority over oil and gas activities within its territory.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
New monitoring mechanisms for EAIC as part of rebranding
The EAIC said its new logo symbolises its sharpness and vigilance in monitoring misconduct. PETALING JAYA : The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) today said it is introducing new mechanisms to monitor the progress of its probes and enhancing its standard operating procedures (SOPs) for investigations as part of the organisation's rebranding. In a statement, the EAIC said it had conducted studies on the effectiveness of enforcement agencies under its purview and participated in field operations and consultations with stakeholders to better understand the issues faced by the agencies in question. It said the rebranding marked the continuation of reforms which started last year, including the establishment of a special task force to investigate high-profile and public interest cases. Such cases include the illegal disposal of electronic waste (e-waste), abuse of power in the issuance of medical visas, and a study to identify preventive measures for deaths in custody. The EAIC also introduced a new logo, featuring elements of a tiger's eye and claw, meant to symbolise sharpness and vigilance in monitoring misconduct. 'This rebranding aims to clearly communicate the commission's mission to move forward as a leader in improving integrity, transparency, and public trust among enforcement agencies,' it said. The EAIC is a federal statutory body under the Prime Minister's Department, established in 2011 to monitor, investigate, and report on misconduct by personnel from enforcement agencies. It also handles public complaints about misconduct in enforcement agencies such as the police, immigration department, and road transport department.
