SHAH ALAM, June 23 — The Bantuan Asas Yuran Universiti (BAYU) initiative, which provides a 50 per cent tuition fee subsidy, has delivered positive results, with student enrolment — particularly among Selangor residents — increasing at Universiti Selangor (UNISEL) and Universiti Islam Selangor (UIS).
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari said the assistance involves the state government covering half of students’ tuition fees, while the remaining cost is financed through loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).
The state government is currently working with PTPTN to ensure that the 50 per cent tuition fee subsidy can be paid earlier each year.
“We are engaging with PTPTN to ensure that the 50 per cent tuition fee payment is made earlier every year so that students do not incur higher interest charges. We will pay the 50 per cent tuition fee contribution earlier each year to prevent students from being burdened by substantial interest costs.
“At the very least, the state has helped to provide 50 per cent of their education costs,” he said in his winding-up speech on Phase Two of the Selangor Resilience Enhancement Package (SREP) during the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
Amirudin added that the state government plans to expand the subsidy's benefits through an additional RM17 million allocation under the Kita Selangor Education Scholarship initiative, as announced in SREP's Phase Two.
The allocation will be channelled to Selangor students pursuing higher education at other institutions through collaboration with state student associations and the Student Affairs Divisions of their respective universities.
“In addition to UIS, UNISEL, and the Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre, we will utilise this additional RM17 million so that the 50 per cent assistance can also benefit Selangor students who are currently studying and require financial support.
“Although we are not yet able to provide completely free education, the state government is at least able to cover 50 per cent of their education costs,” he said.
The state government has allocated RM17 million through the Kita Selangor Education Scholarship to assist outstanding students pursuing studies in strategic fields that are priorities for Selangor's development.
When tabling the SREP Phase Two, Amirudin said the initiative was introduced to ensure that capable Selangor students are not prevented from furthering their education due to financial constraints.
Priority fields include electronics and electrical engineering, life sciences, artificial intelligence, engineering, and automation.
