Student device useful for IPT students, no reason to sell

KUALA LUMPUR: It has only been a few months since students in institutions of higher learning (IPT) received student devices, and some have sold them even though they were advised not to.

IPT students, while acknowledging the government's support under the Keluarga Malaysia Student Device Programme to ease the burden of the lower-income (B40) group, felt that reselling the student device at below market price is unreasonable and irresponsible.

A 23-year-old Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) student, Muhammad Najmuddin Sarani said he was one of the first to apply for the assistance since its inception and that there was a condition in the application that the device must not be sold.

"But if students are selling, it is not acceptable. If it is sold and bought, the person knows that this device is from the government because when you open (switch on) the device, you have to enter personal details," he said, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Mualamat.

He said the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 LTE device is equipped with some accessories to help ease the burden of B40 students, and are useful for study.

Sharing the similar sentiment, Universiti Utara Malaysia student, 21-year-old Nurlisa Mohd Jamil also agreed that selling the device to buy a higher quality one was an irresponsible act.

"It is not easy to apply for this student device because you have to go through a rigorous vetting process at the university and government level. I have a friend from the M40 group who desperately needs a device and cannot afford it but did not get it," she said.

She added that the device provided by the government is good and useful for students.

Meanwhile, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Centre for Studies on Learner Diversity senior lecturer Dr Anuar Ahmad said that while there are several reasons for selling the device, such as needing money for the university or that the device was not suitable for the course taken, the move is still inappropriate.

"This does not justify the act because the provision of these devices is the government's effort to meet the needs of students so that they can learn well and the action is irresponsible," he said when contacted by Bernama.

He said if the device is not suitable for use with the course, there is no reason to apply and should give a chance to students who need it more.

Application for PerantiSiswa was open in April, and distribution in the first phase began in September while phase 2 distribution was in October.

On Oct 25, Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said stern actions would be taken against individuals involved in selling the device they received under Keluarga Malaysia PerantiSiswa Programme.

So far, there are 14 cases of selling the tablets reported nationwide and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is closely monitoring the development.

-- BERNAMA