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Wong shows a PSB leaflet offering free scholarship for UTS students, if given the mandate this election.
SIBU (Nov 7): Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has challenged Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to offer full scholarships for University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) students here.
Wong, who is in Sibu this general election, said there was nothing for Assistant Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dr Annuar Rapaee to brag about when Yayasan Sarawak, under the GPS government, is now offering half scholarships for UTS students.
“PSB was chosen by the people, we will give full scholarship (to UTS students) and he (Dr Annuar) only gave half. He (Dr Annuar) said (when UTS was) under me, UTS used to be for rich students. Now with tuition fees between RM35,000 and RM40,000 per course, even many Bumiputera students cannot afford it.
“I urge the government to give full scholarship for students, especially for Malay and Bumiputera students to come in. This is a private university.
“If I was given a chance, I would give a full scholarship to students studying in UTS. Yayasan Sarawak is rich in money, I must say, and I know it. They can send students overseas and students can study in Cambridge with RM600,000 given per student. Yayasan Sarawak is very rich, they should give full scholarship for students studying in UTS,” he said at a press conference at his service center here today.
He was responding to the remarks made by Dr. Annuar, who is the Nangka assemblyman, during the GPS ceramah here last night. Nangka is one of the three state seats under the Sibu parliamentary constituency. The other two are Bawang Assan and Pelawan.
According to Wong, Dr Annuar seemed to imply that student enrollment at UTS was low under him before. Wong was the head of the UTS Council.
“When I was the chairman of the board of UTS, it was managed by Edusar Resources Sdn Bhd. We aim to have this university self-financed, and any shortfalls will be subsidized by the state finance office.
“When Dr. Annuar came, UTS went to Yayasan Sarawak. They increased the timber royalty from 80 sen to RM50 and they have a lot of money. So, Dr. Annuar said the tuition fees are halved.
“In this circumstance, student enrollment increases and he said that this is due to his credits. He meant to say that it is so efficient to increase enrollment through tuition fees.
“He said he took someone else’s place and couldn’t even mention my name. It’s very degrading,” said the Bawang Assan assemblyman.
Wong said the Sarawak government can afford to offer full scholarship for UTS students.
If he receives the mandate on November 19, Wong said he will not only offer a full scholarship, but will strive to attract more international students to the university here.
“Education is sacred for the development of human resources. We should not politicize education. The development of human resources is vital for the development of Sarawak.
“Dr. Annuar presents himself as a hero. If this is so, why half (bag)? It should be full (bag)!” he stressed.
Wong added that Yayasan Sarawak would spend more than half a million ringgit for one student to study abroad, and said that such amount could be better used to offer 20 students a full scholarship locally.
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