Sarawak’s promise of free tertiary education to become reality in 2026

SARAWAKIANS in five higher education institutions owned by the state government will be able to have free tertiary education in three years’ time.

State Deputy Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Annuar Rapaee said the free tertiary education policy will become reality in 2026.

Annuar told the assembly today that some 4,000 Sarawakian students in each of the five institutions of higher learning in Sarawak in which the state has a stake may qualify.

“They are Curtin University Malaysia in Miri, Swinburne University of Technology in Kuching, University of Technology in Sibu, I-CATS University College in Kuching, and Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak in Kuching.

“This plan for the free tertiary education for Sarawakians at these five institutions requires very careful and thorough study.

“It will start only in 2026 for second and third-year students.

“It requires a lot of money, requires a lot of new infrastructure like lecture halls, hostels, new lecturers and teaching support staff,” he said during the question-and-answer session in reply to Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan-PSB).

Sarawak Pakatan Harapan information chief Senator Abun Sui had in October asked Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg why he had made the free tertiary education promise, which could only be fulfilled in three years’ time.

There is absolutely no need for Johari and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government to wait until 2026, unless it was just another enticing promise for the future, Sui had said.

Sui, who is also Sarawak PKR deputy chairman, called on Johari to explain to the public why the policy would be implemented after such a time when the state government under GPS is supposedly loaded with more than RM40 billion in financial reserves.

“Johari had (last week) publicly announced that the GPS state government will provide free tertiary education for all Sarawakian students studying in state-owned universities starting in 2026.

“While we welcome such a move for free tertiary education, we want it now or for the next semester year starting in 2024, instead of 2026, which is still few years away.

“Why is it that GPS cannot provide free tertiary education starting next semester year?” he had said.

It was recently announced that the state government has financial reserves of more than RM40 billion.

Sui reminded Johari and GPS not to make promises for the future years as they could easily end up forgotten or not being implemented.

Johari had said on October 1 that the state’s income had shot upwards every year, with an increase of RM12 billion being recorded in 2022 alone.

Until today, Johari and Annuar have not explained why Sarawakians studying at other Malaysian universities will not be given free tertiary education and why only the five state-owned institutions in the state will be chosen. – The Vibes, November 22, 2023