THE Sarawak government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the welfare of Sarawakian students studying outside the state through continued financial assistance for air travel .
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said that by providing financial assistance for air travel, programmes like Graduan Pulang Sarawak (iGPS) and FlySiswa help ease the economic burden on students and their families, especially during festive seasons, semester breaks, or urgent personal matters.
“Through iGPS, eligible Sarawakian students can claim up to RM300 per trip, limited to two claims per year, for flights returning from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, or Labuan.
“Applications are open throughout the year via yayasansarawak.org.my or Yayasan Sarawak Student mobile application in Apple App Store or Google Play Store and must be submitted within 60 days of the flight date.
“To qualify, applicants must be Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above, with at least one parent of Sarawak origin and actively enrolled in full-time studies outside Sarawak,” he said.
He said in his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today (May 26).
According to Lee, in 2024, a total of 13,714 Sarawakian students have benefitted from this iGPS, helping ease travel costs especially during festive and academic breaks.
Additionally, the federal government through the Ministry of Transport Malaysia introduced the FlySiswa programme, benefiting 16,044 Sarawakian students in 2024.
“The programme provides flight ticket subsidies of RM400 for students travelling between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
“Applications can be made via flysiswa.mot.gov.my between this year Jan 1 and Nov 30, with redemptions valid until Dec 31.
“These initiatives reflect the steadfast commitment of the Government to ensure that Sarawakian students remain connected to their families while pursuing academic excellence across Malaysia,” he said.
