The grant is part of an economic stimulus package announced by the government recently. The cash aid was to go to university students, and has been expanded, the finance ministry announced.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said those pursuing a diploma or its equivalent at government institutions such as community colleges, polytechnics and institutions under the human resources ministry and the youth and sports ministry, were also eligible.

“This will see the budget increase to RM300 million, from the RM270 million set aside previously to benefit 1.5 million students,” he said in a statement this evening.

Tengku Zafrul also said the relevant ministries will disburse the aid to the eligible students by the end of April.

“We hope this aid will be able to lighten the burden faced by students during the movement control order period.”

The national shutdown, aimed at curbing the spread of the Covid-19 disease, has been extended to April 28.

Last month the government announced an economic stimulus package amounting to RM250 billion to cushion the impact of the outbreak, which has to date claimed 73 lives and infected 4,530 people in the country.

Matriculation exams cancelled

Semester II matriculation examinations for the 2019/2020 session scheduled from April 27 to May 4, have been cancelled in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Education Ministry said the matriculation programme for the 2019/2020 session is deemed to have ended effective today (April 11).

The final results for the 2019/2020 session would be based on a combination of results from Semester I and results from ongoing assessments from Semester II, the ministry said.