PUTRAJAYA: The distribution of RM100 book vouchers, benefiting 1.2 million recipients from primary school to tertiary students, will be carried out in stages, said Higher Education Minister (MOHE) Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir.
The distribution of the vouchers will be carried out beginning June 1 until Dec 31 this year.
Zambry said further details on the voucher distribution mechanism would be disclosed by secretary-general, Datuk Seri Dr. Zaini Ujang, later today.
"We might implement it in phases, such as at the university, polytechnic and other levels. We have already convened a meeting, and he (Zaini) will outline the approach or steps to expedite the book voucher distribution," he told reporters following the MOHE monthly assembly.
"The announcement of the book vouchers was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, so it is our responsibility (MOHE) to devise an approach for its timely implementation. The prime minister intends for it to commence this evening," he added.
Phase one of the distribution will involve 50,000 e-vouchers in support of the Kuala Lumpur International Book Festival 2024.
Voucher codes will be generated after an eligibility check is conducted on the GREaT portal – Graduate Reference Hub for Employment and Training (managed by MOHE) at https://great.mohe.gov.my, starting from June 1 2024.
The voucher codes generated on the GREaT portal can only be used for online book purchases on the BookCapital platform at https://bookcapital.com.my, with each student eligible to redeem a voucher worth RM100 for a single transaction only.
The remaining book vouchers will be distributed in the next phase with a mechanism that will be announced later.
Yesterday, Anwar reportedly announced the distribution of RM100 book vouchers to students starting this afternoon, encompassing Year Four pupils and above, secondary school students, students in higher education institutions and teacher training institutions.
Zambry advised students to use the vouchers for beneficial purposes, urging them not to misuse them but to buy scholarly reading materials.
"We hope that past incidents will not be repeated, which is why we are discussing the methods and mechanisms for distributing these vouchers," he said.
Zambry added that the ministry has held extensive discussions with various ministries about the nation's ambition to become a semiconductor hub.
We (MOHE) will aid in fulfilling the nation's workforce requirements by aligning planning and research with the specific needs of sectors, notably in E&E (electrical and electronics) and semiconductor industries, as well as investment.
"Hence, proactive measures are essential to meticulously account for each plan and every foreign direct investment (FDI). Given the rapid influx of FDIs into the country, it's our duty to take action rather than merely observe," he said.
Earlier, during the event, Zambry highlighted MOHE's progress, particularly on the international stage, where it has been invited to share Malaysia's education model and the achievements of its education sector with several foreign countries.
"I've visited several foreign countries upon their invitation. For instance, I recently visited Kyrgyzstan, where they expressed interest in adopting our education model and using it as a pilot project in their country," he said.
Recently, Zambry announced that Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan will actively support the exchange of educational experiences, including student exchange programmes, joint Master's and Ph.D. pathway programmes, academic visits and collaborative research projects. This decision followed his meeting with the Kyrgyz Minister of Education and Science, Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva, during his visit to the country.
To ensure the success of the various initiatives planned by the ministry, Zambry emphasised the importance of teamwork among all ministry members to strategise for the advancement of the country's higher education sector.
"Our focus is on the 2024 plan, particularly on internationalisation, which we've already begun implementing. Let's maintain our collaborative efforts as a dynamic team to achieve our goals," he said. – BERNAMA