|
NST, SHAH ALAM: Students in Selangor whose parents
earn less than RM1,500 a month will receive a one-off payment of
RM1,000 this year when they begin their tertiary education.
Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said: "Our focus will be
on poor families who need the money the most to help them offset the
cost of entering the university or taking up diploma programmes,
regardless of race."
Abdul Khalid, speaking to reporters after opening the Selangor
Religious Department (Jais) Teachers Day celebrations, said the
criteria for eligibility and the framework for dispensing the money
was being worked out by the state financial officer.
It could done by elected representatives or through the district
office.
The RM1,000 cash award was one of the promises made by Pas and Parti
Keadilan Rakyat in a joint manifesto before the March 8 general
election.
Selangor opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had
criticised the Pakatan Rakyat government for being slow in fulfilling
their manifesto promises. And he said the move would cost the state
RM20 million a year.
Abdul Khalid said the state could not give the cash award to all
students in the state because the budget for the year was already
determined before the Pakatan Rakyat government took over.
He said it was possible more would receive the RM1,000 aid next year.
But this would only be decided before next year's budget is tabled.
On the Balkis issue, Abdul Khalid said the state government had yet to
receive word from the Registrar of Societies about the status of the
Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation.
He said the state would be writing to the RoS for the second time for
an update and the status of the charity will be debated during the
upcoming legislative assembly.
Past president Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik had tried to dissolve the
charity and transferred RM9.9 million of the organisation's funds to
the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti)
after the general election.
|
