By WU VUIDE
PENAMPANG: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji said the State Government plans to provide free education for Sabah students at state-owned higher institutions, University College Yayasan Sabah (UCSF) and Kolej Teknologi Yayasan Sabah (KTYS).
He said a loan subsidy policy, particularly for PTPTN and Yayasan Sabah loans, is also being considered to ease the burden of over 100,000 borrowers.
“This initiative is practical for the government to implement in line with the state’s financial position. It proves the commitment of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Government to ensure more Sabah children have access to education,” he said at the Sabah Undergraduates Convention at KDCA Hall.
Since leading Sabah, Hajiji said his administration has prioritised education and human capital development, as reflected in the SMJ Development Blueprint.
“Since 2021, the State Government has spent more than RM1.3 billion on education — the largest allocation in Sabah’s history.
“More than 14 initiatives have been introduced, including a one-off RM600 aid for students studying in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan under the GRS-SubFly programme, and RM300 assistance for students in the state under SENTOSA,” he said.
This year, the government set up the Sabah State Education Fund (TPNS) and allocated RM136 million in scholarships, the largest since independence.
Hajiji said this was possible because state revenue rose to nearly RM7 billion. Under the SMJ initiative, welfare programmes were also expanded, including free SMJ Friendly Homes for the poor and monthly RM300 aid for 100,000 recipients under Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (SYUKUR).
He urged Sabahans, especially 970,000 young voters, to make the right choice in the 17th State Election (PRN17).
“PRN17 will determine Sabah’s development under GRS. We cannot afford to be left behind. The future of Sabah is in your hands,” he said, adding that his government has a strong record in education, economy, welfare, investment and revenue management.
He cited past abandoned projects caused by weak policies and said Sabah is now on a strong economic track, recording the country’s third-highest investment inflows in the first quarter of 2025.
“Unemployment has dropped from 8.2 per cent in 2020 to 6.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2025. This shows more Sabah youths now have access to stable jobs,” he said.
The Convention, attended by about 1,000 students, adopted several resolutions which Hajiji requested be submitted to the State Government for consideration.
