Equally important, comedian Harith Iskander said, it must be done in a fair and equitable manner.

They were commenting on a report citing communications minister Fahmi Fadzil as saying that the government would consider helping actress Jasmine Suraya Chin, 35, fund her studies in the US.

The Sarawakian has reportedly sold assets such as her car to fund a RM400,000 year-long master’s degree programme at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles.

Fernandez pointed out that given the significant costs associated with such programmes abroad, any decision to offer aid should be based on the recipient’s qualities and level of achievements.

“She can always submit an application to the government providing the necessary justification to demonstrate (that she has achieved) impressive (academic) results,” he told FMT.

Fernandez proposed that a process be established to vet such applications, assess them and evaluate them on their merits before any aid is granted.

He pointed out that in the past, those who wished to study abroad had to cover their own expenses.

“We have many music graduates who went to Berklee (the Berklee College of Music in Boston, US) using their own funds,” he said.

“Maybe a few of them got scholarships, but most of them were self-funded,” he added.

Harith said the government must take into consideration the wider educational needs of the population when making decisions to fund an individual’s academic pursuit.

He noted that while it is important to recognise and support talent in various fields, it is equally essential to prioritise initiatives that promote inclusiveness and ensure equal opportunity for all Malaysians, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Many individuals in Malaysia face significant barriers even in access to basic education, with financial constraints one of the biggest obstacles to the pursuit of further studies,” he told FMT.

“These individuals should not be overlooked when extending government assistance,” he added.

FMT has reached out to Fahmi’s aide to find out the criteria that will be used to determine if Jasmine should be funded.

According to Malay-language daily Kosmo, Jasmine had previously contacted the Sarawak government, the tourism, arts and culture ministry, Yayasan Sarawak, and the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) for assistance.

However, she said she was turned down as these parties were giving priority to other areas.