Over 4,000 students to benefit from Sabah scholarship boost
Published on: Sun, Jul 20, 2025 Text Size: Arifin and others with some of the aid recipients. - Pic by CMD KOTA KINABALU: The State Government has allocated a record RM136 million this year under the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) to strengthen access to higher education. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this marked a significant increase from RM50 million in 2020, reflecting the government's commitment to supporting Sabahans regardless of socio-economic background.
Advertisement Hajiji, in a speech delivered by State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif at the Sentosa aid presentation ceremony at UMS on Sunday, said 4,170 students will benefit from the BKNS this year in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) policy. He added that RM77.5 million has been allocated for 13 education aid initiatives in 2024, including Budi, Baik, Semesta and GRS-Subfly, while Yayasan Sabah and Muis also contributed significantly through separate programmes. At the same event, over 600 students from UMS and Kolej Mahsa Sabah received a one-off RM300 cash aid under the Sentosa initiative, aimed at easing basic expenses for nearly 20,000 Bumiputera students in local institutions. * 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
Daily Express
an hour ago
- Daily Express
Ministry approves new site for 188-year-old Sung Siew
Published on: Monday, July 28, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 28, 2025 By: Mardinah Jikur Text Size: Also present were Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee, Sandakan District Education Officer Roslin Siabok, school principal Kwok Chee Yen, SM Sung Siew School Board Chairman Vun Soon Chong and representatives from the Sabah Education Department and alumni. SANDAKAN: The Education Ministry approved the relocation of the 118-year-old Sekolah Menengah Sung Siew here to a new 25-acre site at Batu 4 near Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Sung Siew. The approval letter was handed over during a ceremony at the school on Saturday, witnessed by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh during his official working visit here. Also present were Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee, Sandakan District Education Officer Roslin Siabok, school principal Kwok Chee Yen, SM Sung Siew School Board Chairman Vun Soon Chong and representatives from the Sabah Education Department and alumni. The Ministry granted the approval on June 25, following a request submitted four years ago by the school, Sandakan District Education Office and Sabah Education Department. Kah Woh hopes the relocation approval would expedite the construction process. The current school, built on 2.24 acres owned by the Basel Christian Church Malaysia, would move to the new site at Batu 4, where Sung Siew's primary and preschool sections have already been operating for several years after relocating there. 'Over 80 per cent of students live near Batu 4 residential areas which was a key factor in the decision. Our priority is to provide the best educational access for all students here,' he said. Meanwhile, Vun Soon Chong thanked the Ministry, the Sabah Education Department and the District Education Office for the approval, adding that the school board, parents and staff had been actively fundraising for the new campus through charity events and marathons. Earlier, Kah Woh visited SK Sri Tanjung Papat I and SK Sri Tanjung Papat II in Kampung Sim-Sim, which currently share premises after the latter was destroyed by tidal waves in 2018. Following discussions with parents, the Ministry would seek a new site for SK Sri Tanjung Papat II to accommodate the growing number of students. The Deputy Minister also inspected SK St Mary Town and SK St Mary Labuk, where the Ministry has allocated RM185,000 for upgrading works, including a new canteen. He also attended a Bahasa Malaysia Oratory Competition and a Multilingual Writing Test (in Malay, Chinese and English languages) involving 144 finalists from eight districts, praising the decades-old programme for nurturing student talents. * 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
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
GRS, PH team-up for polls
Hajiji: We intend to maintain local party dominance in Sabah KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has confirmed an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan for the coming state polls, ending speculation over the tricky alignment between state and national coalitions in Sabah. Chief Minister and GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the local-based coalition will continue cooperation with Sabah Pakatan Harapan forged midway through its first five-year term, after Sabah Barisan Nasional withdrew its support in 2023. 'We will continue the cooperation between GRS and Pakatan as it stands,' he said after officiating the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) annual general assembly here yesterday. Hajiji said GRS component parties had consented to the arrangement as a strong collaboration between GRS and the national coalition would bring great benefit. On seat sharing between GRS and Pakatan, he said a formula was in hand with the exception of a few overlapping seats. In his keynote address at the annual meeting of Gagasan Rakyat, the anchor party of the ruling eight-party GRS, Hajiji hinted that the latter would continue working with Pakatan to ensure continuity and stability. However, he also touched on what he described as maintaining 'local party dominance in Sabah.' 'Our master is here, not there,' he told delegates in an apparent attempt to assure that Sabah-based parties will remain dominant in the state's political sphere. Hajiji, who is the Gagasan Rakyat president, said he was confident that GRS would win a second term with the people's strong backing. The eight-party GRS forged a coalition with Sabah Barisan Nasional to oust the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan state government in the 2020 snap state polls. Barisan pulled out its support in 2023 but GRS got the backing of Pakatan Harapan to retain its hold on the state government and complete its five-year term. 'We have built a strong home, rooted with the aspirations of the people. We have been realistic in our plans for the state and never made grand promises we could not deliver. We have prioritised the people's welfare,' Hajiji said, adding that the coming state election would be a litmus test for GRS. He also highlighted the importance of dominant local representation and protecting the state's rights, adding that GRS needed a big mandate to give Sabah a better bargaining position. The Chief Minister urged party members to counter what he termed as fake and false claims made against the party and its leaders. 'The fake and smear campaigns on social media by our opponents must be countered. 'This politically motivated propaganda is aimed at undermining GRS through misinformation and slander,' he said, adding that misinformation, including fake infographics and videos, were being used to sway public perception. Besides Gagasan Rakyat, the GRS coalition comprises Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Usno, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS). PGRS holds 26 of the 42 state seats held by GRS. The 17th Sabah state election must be held before the automatic dissolution of the state assembly on Nov 11.
Daily Express
2 hours ago
- Daily Express
Enemies will step up slander, lies: Chief Minister
Published on: Monday, July 28, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 28, 2025 By: Hayati Dzulkifli Text Size: Hajiji who is also GRS Chairman said this to send a strong and direct response to the many allegations and accusations hurled at GRS and its leaders with PRN17 just around the corner. Kota Kinabalu: Sabahans, including GRS members, have been urged to be vigilant and wary against opposition dirty tactics of deliberately fabricating issues to mislead the public in the lead-up to the 17th State Election (PRN17). CM-cum-Gagasan Rakyat President Datuk Seri Hajiji said these challenges do not stem from a strong opposition or from our own weakness, but rather from the lies, falsehoods, fabricated stories and above all, slander that they must confront. 'PRN17 brings with it a thousand and one challenges, not because the opposition is strong or GRS is weak, but because we are facing a barrage of lies, fabrications, false stories, and above all, slander. 'Nowadays, social media has become the most popular platform for spreading propaganda and misinformation, which the opposition is using to gain political mileage. 'Every day, they concoct false stories, viral misleading videos and fabricated infographics that are widely circulated, pushed by opposition to tarnish the GRS and manipulate public opinion for their political gain. This is how the opposition launches its attacks against us in the digital realm —and we must fight back with everything we've got!' he said. 'Not all the issues being sensationalised are true or credible! Many are concocted and manufactured with the sole intent of deceiving the public into believing them. Such tactics can lead to endless political unrest. 'Spreading slander and falsehood is the hallmark of dirty politics and we strongly condemn it. Let us not fall into the trap of such unscrupulous tactics. 'Not only are they morally and legally wrong, but any party that wins through dirty politics, slander and lies will not stand the test of time because eventually, the truth will be known,' he said. Hajiji who is also GRS Chairman said this to send a strong and direct response to the many allegations and accusations hurled at GRS and its leaders with PRN17 just around the corner. Despite ongoing criticism and attacks aimed at discrediting the government's efforts, Hajiji said GRS' track record of success cannot be denied. 'I know there are those who are jealous of our success. They want to see us fall apart, humiliated, and defeated. That is why they continue to make baseless accusations to deceive the people. They will never stop. They will relentlessly attack and belittle our hard work,' he said. 'Take good care of GRS. This is our home and it's up to us to protect it, because this is where our struggle is anchored,' 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
