KUCHING: The launch of Sarawak’s Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES) marks a major milestone in the state’s commitment to developing its future workforce, particularly among young Sarawakians.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth Vice-Chief, Azizul Annuar Adenan, congratulated Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for introducing what he described as a bold and forward-looking initiative that directly benefits students and their families.
He said the scheme would provide significant financial relief to parents, particularly those from the B40 and M40 income groups, as tuition fees are fully covered by the state.
“As Sarawakians, we feel very proud that the state government has provided free tertiary education, especially for our anak-anak muda (young generation).
“This will give a lot of relief to parents, and for families in the B40 and M40 groups, they will have more disposable income as the cost of tertiary education is fully borne by the state government,” he told Sarawak Tribune today.
Azizul said the FTES aligns closely with Sarawak’s long-term development vision and upcoming mega projects announced by the Premier.
He pointed out that together with other forms of assistance for Sarawakian students, including those studying in Peninsular Malaysia, the FTES signals a broader shift in Sarawak’s development priorities.
“This steadily supports the Premier’s vision, especially projects such as hydrogen expansion, the Tanjung Embang Port, the aeropolis and others, which require a trained and skilled workforce.
“We are moving away from focusing solely on infrastructure development towards human capital development. This is a clear sign that Sarawak is preparing its people for the future,” he said
At the same, Azizul also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) for issuing clear guidelines on the scheme, including matters related to repeating semesters.
“I raised questions in my speech during the recent DUN sitting on issues such as repeating semesters. I am glad these have been clearly explained in the booklet, including whether students need to pay if they repeat,” he said.
Azizul reaffirmed PBB Youth’s full support for the policy and expressed hope to see the first cohort of FTES beneficiaries graduate within the next three to four years.
“PBB Youth fully supports this policy, and we look forward to seeing the first cohort graduate in the coming years,” he said.
Advising youths in his constituency, Azizul who is also the Tanjung Datu state assemblyman urged SPM leavers to seize the opportunity and show genuine interest in furthering their studies.
While acknowledging capacity limits at universities, he said supporting the majority of eligible students is still a major step forward.
“To the youths, grab this opportunity and show interest. This vision by the Premier is something new and is not practised by any other state in Malaysia,” he said.
