GOV’T MULLS EXTENDING FLYSISWA TO LAND TRANSPORT IN PENINSULA – ANWAR

SHAH ALAM, May 5 (Bernama) -- The government will discuss the possibility of expanding the FLYSiswa initiative, which provides subsidised flight tickets, to include land transport for students in Peninsular Malaysia, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said the annual initiative by the Ministry of Transport could potentially be implemented for specific journeys or destinations within the peninsula. 

“Why is FLYSiswa focused on Sabah and Sarawak? Because we all know flights to those states are expensive, especially during festive seasons … so we decided to offer assistance.

“As for FLYSiswa in the peninsula, I’ll discuss it with the Transport Minister (Anthony Loke). Perhaps for certain areas or specific locations, we can look into implementing it,” he said at the “Temu Anwar” programme at the private Management and Science University (MSU) here today.

He was responding to a participant who suggested the government extend FLYSiswa to cover land transport for students in Peninsular Malaysia.

The FLYSiswa initiative provides subsidies for flight tickets for public university students, polytechnic and community college students under the Ministry of Higher Education, as well as matriculation and teacher training institute students under the Ministry of Education, for domestic routes between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Meanwhile, Anwar shared that the Akademi Kenegaraan Malaysia is developing a suitable programme to expand the Perdana Fellow Programme, creating more opportunities for youth to gain experience from national leadership.

The Prime Minister said the government views the programme, introduced 10 years ago, as the best platform for students to understand the direction and work culture of the government at the highest level, while also preventing them from being influenced by baseless accusations against the administration.

“We will discuss how to give those who are unable to join the Perdana Fellow Programme other opportunities to engage with and learn from government leaders, ministers and deputy ministers.

“This is being managed by the Akademi Kenegaraan and other relevant parties to allow more youth to gain knowledge about administration and work culture,” he said.

Previously, Anwar had said the Perdana Fellow Programme is the best platform for young people to be exposed to the government’s direction, operations and work culture at the highest level.

He believes the programme also helps future national leaders better understand government policies.

Some 4,000 students participated in today’s Temu Anwar programme, his first with a private university. It was also attended by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, MSU vice-chancellor Prof Puan Sri Dr Junainah Abd Hamid and MSU president Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid.

-- BERNAMA