Kuching: The Sarawak Government’s free higher education policy has failed to ensure fairness and inclusivity, with many Sarawakian university students remaining excluded, DAPSY Sarawak Secretary George Lam said.
Lam said students studying in public universities and private institutions, including those already enrolled, continue to be overlooked under the policy and are still required to finance their own education.
He said he had previously proposed that the Sarawak Government channel free higher education assistance directly through Yayasan Sarawak so that all Sarawakian university students, both existing and future, would receive tuition support without restrictions based on institution type or field of study.
“Whether they are studying in public or private universities or enrolled in institutions within or outside Sarawak, as long as they are Sarawakians, they should be treated equally and benefit from this policy,” he said in a statement.
However, Lam said the state government did not adopt the comprehensive, fair proposal and instead proceeded with a limited implementation model, restricting the policy to four Sarawak Government-owned higher education institutions and imposing additional limitations on university choices and fields of study.
“What is even more disappointing is the fact that a large number of Sarawakian students who are currently enrolled in universities have already self-financed their first, second, or even third year of studies, yet they are completely excluded from this free higher education policy.
“These students appear to have been completely forgotten, as if they are suddenly no longer Sarawakians. They are equally the future of Sarawak, yet they receive no form of assistance,” he said.
SUPP Youth Attacks Instead of Help
At the same time, Lam also criticised the recent stance taken by SUPP Youth, pointing out that instead of standing up to fight for the rightful entitlement of free higher education for all Sarawakian tertiary students, they chose to divert attention by attacking DAP Sarawak Chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
“This clearly reflects SUPP’s long-standing political approach of evading responsibility.
“As a component party of the ruling coalition, SUPP should be exerting pressure on the Sarawak Government to improve and expand the policy, rather than repeatedly defending its shortcomings or shifting the blame onto the opposition,” he said.
Lam emphasised that the reality is the Sarawak Government’s insistence on maintaining the current narrow implementation model has resulted in a large segment of Sarawakian students—including existing undergraduates and those not enrolled in the four Sarawak Government institutions—being marginalised.
“They have no choice but to continue pursuing higher education through self-financing, merely watching from the sidelines as so-called free education remains out of reach.
“I stressed that Sarawak’s university students urgently need another voice that dares to speak up and fight for the education benefits they rightfully deserve,” he said.
He added that DAP Sarawak will continue to stand firmly on the side of students and apply sustained pressure on the Sarawak Government to review and expand the free higher education policy, ensuring that it truly covers all Sarawakians—regardless of university, field of study, or whether they are existing or future students.
“Education should never be used as a political publicity tool but must instead be a genuine public policy that benefits the people and represents a true investment in the future,” he said.
