BY DEZIREEN GALOH & RAIHANAH REDUAN
KUCHING: The rising cost of flights between East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia has long weighed on students’ pockets, but the expanded FlySiswa programme now offers renewed relief through a RM400 flight ticket subsidy for eligible students.
The government announced that the initiative is expected to benefit around 50,000 students this year, up from 44,000 last year.
The inclusion of students from several additional institutions, including the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), the Human Resources Department Training Institute, the Plantation and Commodities Institute, semi-government universities, and state-owned higher education institutions has brought relief among students.
Sarawak Tribune spoke to several eligible students, many of whom expressed appreciation for the government’s continued support.
University Technology Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam student, Sylvester Felix Johnny, 25 expressed that the amount will ease his financial constraint.
“The subsidy is helpful especially for B40 students like me, even though sometimes it is not fully sufficient during peak seasons because the price is typically higher than the RM400 amount,” he said.
Sylvester, who is from Bau, Sarawak, said he usually utilises the FlySiswa subsidy during semester breaks to better manage his expenses.
“The high cost of airfare often makes it difficult for me to travel home, so I always use the FlySiswa subsidy whenever possible,” he added.
Apart from managing his studies and travel expenses, Sylvester also runs a small business in Cheras, commuting daily from Shah Alam to Cheras to earn additional income.
Meanwhile, another UiTM Shah Alam student, Aina Afiqah Abdullah, 25, also shared similar sentiments, saying the subsidy helps students reunite with their families despite rising flight ticket prices.
“Although the flight tickets during festive seasons are pricier than usual, this initiative does help a bit, making us use the money for other necessities,” she said.
She added that tight budgets towards the end of the semester often occur due to daily living expenses, which can place students under financial strain.
“Months before the break begins, I will start checking flight ticket prices to avoid spending extra money.
“But with the subsidy, it helps reduce my anxiety about my financial issues,” she explained.
Similarly, Barbara Heather, 24, a student at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), said the subsidy helps students manage the high cost of travelling back home.
“FlySiswa helps ease the burden of purchasing expensive flight tickets using our own pocket money, which is sometimes insufficient for the entire semester, and the subsidy comes in handy to cover part of the travel cost,” she said.
She usually uses the assistance only during the long semester break, when travelling home with luggage, which involves additional costs.
Meanwhile, Tashneem Zainal Abidin, 24, a student at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Skudai, Johor, said the subsidy makes travelling home more affordable, especially during peak periods.
“Flight tickets between Johor or Kuala Lumpur to Kuching can be quite expensive, but since part of the ticket price is covered, students don’t have to use too much of their own money or depend too much on their parents.
“With the subsidy, it makes me feel more comfortable to plan trips home because the cost is slightly lower,” she said.
During festive holidays, many students choose to remain on campus due to the high cost of airfare, which prevents them from returning to their hometowns to spend time with their families.
The students hope that such subsidies will continue in the future, as they help ease financial burdens and allow them to focus more on their studies.
Overall, they expressed hope that the government will further enhance the initiative by increasing the subsidy amount, offering it more frequently and providing additional support such as transportation between airports and university campuses.
