PUTRAJAYA, May 31 — The distribution of RM100 book vouchers, benefiting 1.2 million recipients from primary school to tertiary students, will be carried out in stages, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Further details on the voucher distribution mechanism will be disclosed by the Higher Education Ministry's (MOHE) secretary-general Datuk Seri Zaini Ujang later today.
"We might implement it in phases, like at the university, polytechnic and other levels. We have already convened a meeting, and he (Zaini) will outline the approach or steps to expedite the book voucher distribution.
"The announcement of the book vouchers was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, so it is our responsibility (MOHE) to devise an approach for its timely implementation.
"The Prime Minister intends for it to commence this evening," he told the press following the ministry's monthly assembly today.
Yesterday, Anwar announced the distribution of RM100 book vouchers to students starting this afternoon, encompassing Year Four pupils and above, secondary school students, as well as students in higher education institutions and teacher training institutions.
Zambry advised students to use the vouchers for beneficial purposes, urging them not to misuse them but to buy scholarly reading materials.
"We hope that past incidents will not be repeated, which is why we are discussing the methods and mechanisms for distributing these vouchers," he said.
MOHE has held extensive discussions with various ministries about the nation's ambition to become a semiconductor hub.
"We will aid in fulfilling the nation's workforce requirements by aligning planning and research with the specific needs of sectors, notably in E&E (electrical and electronics) and semiconductor industries, as well as investment.
“Hence, proactive measures are essential to meticulously account for each plan and every foreign direct investment (FDI). Given the rapid influx of FDIs into the country, it is our duty to take action rather than merely observe," Zambry said.
Earlier, during the event, the minister highlighted MOHE’s progress, particularly on the international stage, where it has been invited to share Malaysia's education model and the achievements of its education sector with several foreign countries.
"I have visited several foreign countries upon their invitation. For instance, I recently visited Kyrgyzstan, where they expressed interest in adopting our education model and using it as a pilot project in their country," he said.
Recently, Zambry announced that Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan would actively support the exchange of educational experiences, including student exchange programmes, joint Master's and PhD pathway programmes, academic visits and collaborative research projects.
This decision followed his meeting with the Kyrgyz Minister of Education and Science Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva during Zambry's visit to the country.
To ensure the success of the various initiatives planned by the ministry, he emphasised the importance of teamwork among all ministry members to strategise for the advancement of the country's higher education sector.
"Our focus is on the 2024 plan, particularly on internationalisation, which we've already begun implementing.
"Let us maintain our collaborative efforts as a dynamic team to achieve our goals," he said.
— Bernama
