THE Finance Ministry today announced a RM100 aid for Malaysian students at institutions of higher learning (IPT).

The ministry said in a statement that the government, in response to a suggestion by the Education Ministry to help reduce the financial burden of IPT students, had agreed to approve the Higher Education Student Aid (BPPT) for this year.

The aid, to be disbursed at the end of next month using an existing mechanism, namely the Bank Rakyat debit card, is expected to benefit 1.2 million students and involve an allocation of RM120 million, it said.

It said details on the implementation of BPPT 2019 and the eligibility criteria for students to receive the aid would be announced by the Education Ministry soon.

The disbursement of BPPT is in tandem with the government’s announcement on Wednesday to provide a RM100 cost of living aid to single Malaysians, it said, adding the BSH payment would benefit more than three million individuals and involve an allocation of RM300 million. – Bernama, February 24, 2019.