Roll-out of 150,000 laptops in Feb: Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR – The roll-out of 150,000 laptops by government-linked companies (GLCs) and related investment firms has been expedited to February, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz reiterated.

In a statement today, he said the move is to ensure that students from the B40 group can continue their education online, even when they are at home.

“I would like to thank the Education Ministry, which has worked closely with Yayasan Hasanah to expedite the handing out of the laptops.”

Schools have turned to online classes, education TV programmes and other methods of learning since the term resumed on January 20.

Tengku Zafrul said this is not the first time that the foundation has worked with the ministry to contribute to the education sector, especially regarding students in rural areas.

He said between 2015 and 2019, the foundation has spent RM363 million for the purpose.

“To me, a fruitful implementation is more important than the allocation that I mentioned earlier.

“What is important is that the ministry and relevant agencies continue to ease the process of distributing assistance, so that those in need will be supported to sustain or lift themselves up again.”

Just last week, Tengku Zafrul was slammed by several lawmakers, chiefly Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil.

In a Facebook post on January 23, the PKR lawmaker tagged the minister, asking him: “Where are the 150,000 laptops, Tengku Zafrul?”

The post had garnered a number of comments, mostly social media users encouraging Fahmi to continue putting the pressure on the minister to fulfil the Budget 2021 promise.

Former deputy education minister and Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching had on January 19 questioned Tengku Zafrul on the laptops. 

In a statement, she said the Budget stated that GLCs and government-linked investment companes will inject 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 27, 2021