TAIPING: A total of 3,152,258 books have been purchased through the 2026 MADANI Book Voucher initiative, with 1,723,371 students having redeemed the vouchers so far, said Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh.
He said the figures were recorded as of yesterday, about two months after the initiative was implemented for secondary school students and those in educational institutions under the Ministry of Education (MOE).
“A total of 2.21 million students are eligible to receive vouchers worth RM100 each, with the MOE setting aside a ceiling allocation of RM221 million.
“So far, 1,723,371 students have redeemed the vouchers and 3,152,258 books have been purchased,” he told a press conference on the Malaysia Ultra-Trail By UTMB 2026 here today.
He said the online implementation of the MADANI Book Voucher initiative through the Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia (DELIMa) ensured that the redemption and book purchasing process could be carried out more transparently while reducing the risk of leakages.
“With the online implementation, the vouchers can only be used to purchase books and can no longer be exchanged for cash as was the case previously. This ensures that government assistance actually reaches the recipients and is used for its designated purpose.
“Most importantly, we want to ensure 100 per cent transparency and zero leakages.These vouchers can only be redeemed and used to purchase books online, so practices such as exchanging vouchers for cash will no longer occur,” he said.
Wong said the achievement showed that digital implementation not only facilitated the redemption process, but also enabled the government to ensure that the benefits of the allocation were channeled directly to the targeted groups.
He said the MADANI Book Voucher initiative was implemented for three consecutive years after it was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair.
“In 2024, the vouchers were given to the schoolchildren, last year to educators and this year we are giving them to secondary school students and above, up to university level. The book purchase figures, however, do not include beneficiaries at higher education institutions under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE),” he said.
In another development, Wong said the project to rebuild dilapidated and fire-damaged buildings, as well as the construction of additional buildings at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bagan Serai, Perak, had entered the implementation stage following the appointment of a contractor.
He said the project, approved in 2025 under the Fifth Rolling Plan (RP5) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), included replacing the damaged teachers’ rooms, building 10 classrooms for the Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI), as well as special-purpose rooms to improve facilities and comfort for the school community.
“The project to rebuild dilapidated and fire-damaged buildings at SMK Bagan Serai was approved in 2025 under RP5 of the 12MP and the tender process was carried out by the Public Works Department (JKR), while the Letter of Acceptance (SST) was issued to the contractor on Aug 20, and the site possession date was set for Sept 1.
“The site was handed over to the contractor on Sept 1, 2026, and the expected completion date is Jan 1, 2029, with a contract period of 122 weeks,” he said.
He described the project as a positive development for the SMK Bagan Serai community, especially after the school buildings were affected by a fire several years ago. – BERNAMA
