The Higher Education Ministry is carrying out a study to improve the 1Malaysia Book Voucher (BB1M) facility to prevent its abuse.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the outcome of the study and the action to be implemented on the vouchers would be announced next year.

"We are still studying and next year, we will look at the action that needs to be implemented," he said when commenting on the report on the abuse of the BB1M when approached by reporters after closing theprogramme'Jom Masuk IPT' (Let'sEnrolinto the IPT) at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

According to media reports,studentswere selling the BB1M worth RM250, aimed at reducing the burden on expenditure to buy books, to the bookshops at prices ranging from RM190 to RM230 without buying anything.

Idris pointed out that the BB1M was created basically to promote the reading culture among Malaysians, besides assisting the poorer students to buy books.

"Basically, the reading culture among Malaysians is still at a low level," he said.

On the 'Jom Masuk IPT', Idris said theprogrammewas a 'one-stopcentre' to inform the public, particularly the students,onthe opportunities available at the public universities,polytechniques, community colleges, private institutions of higher learning and skills trainingcentresnationwide.

Meanwhile, Idris said 300,000 students had applied for entry into the public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) since applications were opened last January.

Applications to the UPU, a one-stopcentrefor applications into public universities, will be closed on Tuesday (April 5).