KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Sarawak Rental Assistance Scheme (SRAS), which offers rental assistance of RM200 for Sarawakian students in the state has received strong support from the student community.
Chief Political Secretary to the Premier, Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman said when the scheme was introduced by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) they received dozens of applications from students.
“Therefore, I am very pleased because after we implemented the first programme at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), we were informed by HDC that they received many applications.
“This scheme has ease the burden of the students and their families as well,” he said in a press conference after officiating at the Sarawak Government Initiative briefing at DeTAR Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) here on Tuesday (June 17).
Fazzrudin stated that he would like to see the scheme extended to Sarawakian students outside the state.
“Though the scheme is not new, many students may not have known about it previously.
“That is why we are conducting this type of outreach programme, because we want to get as much feedback as we can.
“After we gather all the feedback, then we can convey it to all related agencies and to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg himself,” he added.
Meanwhile, UNIMAS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student and Alumni Affairs) Prof Dr Al-Khalid Othman expressed appreciation for the SRAS initiative, noting that more than half the university’s 18,000 students are Sarawakians, with around 6,000 coming from B40 households.
“Students generally pay between RM450 and RM500 per semester for accommodation, depending on room type.
“This assistance goes a long way in reducing their financial burden,” he said.
He also welcomed a separate contribution of RM40,000 from the state government to support the campus food bank programme, aimed at helping students from low-income households.
The briefing was attended by approximately 1,500 participants and students, who sat through four sessions covering the topics of the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030); Sarawak Government Education Initiatives; Initiatives and Role of the Sarawak Centre of Performance Excellence (SCOPE) – Graduate Entrepreneur Training Scheme (GETS); and SRAS.
