KUALA LUMPUR – Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil is not letting up in his demand that Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz keep his promise to hand over 150,000 laptops to students in 500 schools nationwide.
In his latest Facebook post today at noon, the PKR lawmaker tagged Tengku Zafrul, asking him: “Where are the 150,000 laptops, Tengku Zafrul?”
The post has since received 39 comments and 10 shares, with many users encouraging Fahmi to continue putting pressure on the minister to fulfil the Budget 2021 promise.
Commenter Jason Yew supported Fahmi’s line of questioning, saying that he pities students who have not received the laptops promised by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.
Other users, such as Shaime M. Zidin, took a more humorous note saying: “It’s late YB. It’s still under production in the factories. But Malaysian factories are closed.”
Similarly, Theevagaraju Uthmarajoo joked that the laptops are still “under quarantine”.
On January 21, Fahmi had first demanded Tengku Zafrul give a detailed explanation on the laptops to benefit 150,000 students, pointing out that school sessions have already started and, due to the movement control order (MCO), students are forced to undergo online learning.
“Up till today, which is the second day of the new school session where nearly all students are forced to study online, and seeing that MCO 2.0 might be extended multiple times, we have not heard news of the status of the laptops.
“Therefore, I urge Tengku Zafrul to clarify on the status of the 150,000 laptops including: the specifications and the price; whether the laptop vendor is chosen through open tender or direct negotiation; how the 150,000 students are chosen; how the 500 schools are chosen; what are the plans for students without internet at home or internet coverage in their residential areas; and, the reason it has not yet been handed over,” said Fahmi.
Former deputy education minister and Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching had also on Tuesday questioned Tengku Zafrul on the laptops.
In a statement, she had said Budget 2021 stated GLCs and GLICs would contribute RM150 million into Tabung Cerdik to provide laptops to 150,000 students in 500 schools as a pilot project.
During the November 6 tabling of Budget 2021, the finance minister had announced a RM150 million fund to purchase 150,000 laptops for students in 500 schools nationwide. – The Vibes, January 23, 2021
