PUTRAJAYA has distributed 12,887 laptops to 95 schools nationwide for students from the Bottom 40 (B40) families, said Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin.

Radzi said another 40,290 laptops will be distributed by June 12 while the remaining 96,823 laptops will be given by the end of September.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, when presenting Budget 2021 in November, announced that 150,000 laptops would be distributed to B40 students in 500 selected schools.

Critics, however, have questioned Putrajaya on the slow rollout of the laptops even as online learning and teaching have started.

Responding to critics, Radzi said his ministry is arranging to expedite the distribution of laptops to B40 pupils. 

He also said that he is aware of slow internet speed in certain rural areas. 

“We are doing our best to distribute the laptops to every pupil in need. There are challenges that we need to face under the current situation.” 

“As for the internet speed, there are several initiatives being done by the government such as MyDigital, created to solve the slow internet issue in certain areas, especially rural ones,” he said. 

Malaysia is currently under a lockdown, imposed from June 1 to 14. A total of 610,574 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded since the pandemic hit the country early last year. 

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said 82,341 infants and children had been infected with Covid-19 from January 2020 until May 30, 2021. – June 6, 2021.