KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — The Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) has clarified that financial aid for Palestinian students in Malaysia is funded by public and corporate donations, with no government funds involved, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim.
He added that the aid was channelled through the Humanitarian Trust Fund for the People of Palestine (AAKRP), which is administered by the Foreign Ministry.
“This assistance was established following the decision of the Cabinet on November 24, 2023, and I wish to emphasise that it does not involve government funding.
“Instead, it is disbursed to recipients from donations by the public and the corporate sector, with the Foreign Ministry managing the funds to ensure both collection and distribution are conducted transparently,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was replying to a supplementary question from Pang Hok Liong (Harapan-Labis) about the reason for providing aid to foreign students while there are local B40 students in need.
Adam Adli added that contributors to Palestinian students include Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah, Johor Islamic Religious Council, Yayasan Al-Bukhary, Malaysian Relief Agency, and several foundations under higher learning institutions (IPTs).
He explained that the fund is a special, one-off initiative.
He also said that as of December 31, 2024, 375 Palestinian students enrolled in Malaysian IPTs have received aid amounting to RM4.3 million, covering tuition and living expenses.
He explained that the disbursement is based on guidelines set by MOHE, namely, the “Assistance Guidelines and Terms for the Provision of Living Allowances” to Palestinian students at public universities.
According to him, the fund is a special initiative aimed at easing the burden of students directly affected by the conflict, and does not represent full government sponsorship for Palestinian students in public universities.
“The government will ensure all approved aid is disbursed transparently, with accountability, and guided by humanitarian principles, in line with Malaysia’s commitment to global justice,” Adam Adli said.
