JPA suspended its overseas scholarship programme on January 20, citing falling government revenue.

On January 24, Chief Minister Adenan Satem said he had instructed the Sarawak Foundation, of which he is chairman, to “find ways on how best to help” the students.

In her windup speech at the state assembly today, Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Development Fatimah Abdullah said the state government would not supersede the decision made by JPA to provide the students scholarships to local universities.

She added that the Sarawak Foundation, a state statutory body, will be providing auxiliary financial assistance instead.

“JPA has made a ruling due to unfortunate circumstances and they have actually offered the students, especially the first batch of the March intake, an offer of financial aid,” Fatimah said in reply to a question by Chong.

“The offer, as I mentioned just now, is for them to study locally. That was the decision. And because assistance has been given by JPA, the state complements the assistance by giving them living costs assistance,” she said, to which Chong reacted with more questions seeking clarification.

“It’s already answered. When you say it’s not clear to you, what you actually mean is that I don’t answer according to what you want,” she said after speaker Asfia Awang Nassar had muted Chong’s microphone and requested Fatimah to proceed with her windup speech.

“That is that Yayasan (Sarawak) should offer (the students scholarships)… That’s not the way,” she added.

Earlier Chong, who is Kota Sentosa assemblyman, had said the students were “very disappointed” with both JPA and the Sarawak Foundation.

“We all know that overseas tertiary education does give a different perspective in education to our future generations… can Yayasan Sarawak make an exception and grant them their wishes, their dream, for them to pursue overseas university education. That is my appeal,” he said.