Sibu: The Sarawak government’s Special Financial Assistance (Bantuan Kewangan Khas, BKK) scheme offering RM1,200 to tertiary students has come under scrutiny over its application process, particularly the requirement for applicants to submit their parents’ pay slips.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak Political Education Director Irene Mary Chang Oi Ling has voiced concern, saying the condition contradicts the very objective of the scheme, which is to provide aid to all Sarawakian students regardless of their socioeconomic background.
“I have received many complaints and enquiries about this requirement. It has become an unnecessary barrier that risks excluding the very students the scheme is meant to support,” Irene Chang said in a statement today.
She noted that students from rural areas, those with parents in the informal sector, and those from single-parent or estranged households often lack formal income documentation, effectively disqualifying them from assistance.
Irene Chang urged the Sarawak government and Yayasan Sarawak to revise the application conditions to be more inclusive and practical.
She proposed that only two documents should be required: proof that the applicant is a Sarawakian (via the ‘K’ indicator on the MyKad) and proof of enrolment in a recognised tertiary institution.
As of May 21, only 25,208 students have applied for the BKK scheme, according to figures shared during the current Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting. This represents less than half of the estimated 60,000 eligible students, as reported by the Sarawak Tribune.
“This application process should be simplified to truly serve its purpose in helping our youth to strive for a better future through education.
“The government should act swiftly to extend the June 1 deadline and simplify the application process so that no student is left behind,” Irene Chang added.
She stressed that if the state government is sincere in its efforts to support Sarawakian youth in their educational pursuits, then it must ensure the application process is free from red tape and truly accessible to all.
