The response to PerantiSiswa Keluarga Malaysia (Keluarga Malaysia Student Device) programme for B40 students is encouraging with 90,000 applications in the first phase and there are more than 56,000 applications under phase two currently.

Communications and Multimedia Ministry (K-KOMM) deputy secretary-general (Telecommunication Infrastructure and Digital Economy) Ma Sivanesan said application would continue to be opened until the government achieves the target distribution of 350,000 tablets.

"For the time being, we are setting Sept 30 as the closing date under phase two and applications would undergo screening. The Samsung device has various features including stylus, keyboard, 4GB memory and 64 GB storage capacity.

"For unsuccessful applicants, the government would review if the applicant is eligible and they can also appeal, " he said in the "Apa Khabar Malaysia," programme produced by Bernama TV and Bernama Radio this morning.

He said the demand under phase two had shot up because K-KOMM has expanded applications to cover students in form six, matriculation as well as teachers' educational institutions and students of Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA).


Earlier, the PerantiSiswa Programme was offered to Institution of Higher Education (IPT) students who were undergoing diploma, advanced diploma and first degree while applications were reopened from August 1 until September 30.

The PerantiSiswa will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam at 2.30 pm tomorrow and about 1,000 people are expected to attend.

In addition, Sivanesan said the distribution of PerantiSiwa will be carried out in stages in September in five zones across the country, particularly in 20 Public Higher Education Institutions (IPTA) identified as well as involving local leaders such as assemblymen, MPs or IPTA area leaders.

He said those who are eligible will receive at the beginning of September and for the second phase in November and they are asked to take good care of the devices which are on loan and recipients will be given sufficient time to return the devices.

To complement the PerantiSiswa Keluarga Malaysia programme, he said the Keluarga Malaysia Youth Programme would include affordable internet data package costing approximately RM20 which can be matched for PerantiSiswa Keluarga Malaysia programme.

At the same time, he said K-KOMM hopes for a positive announcement in the tabling of Budget 2023 in October so that this programme is made a continuous programme.

The PerantiSiswa Keluarga Malaysia Programme which was announced in the Budget last year, was targeting university students because it was found that those from B40 families face the constraint of not having devices to follow online learning during the pandemic.

-- BERNAMA