THE continued delay in the Government’s rollout of free tablets to underprivileged students continues to be criticised by the opposition, with a youth leader today calling out ministers for prioritising “fashion shows” and political ploys instead.
Federal Territory DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) trained its guns at Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa in particular for “bungling” the tablet distributions, which should have been distributed this month.
“Are these ministers more interested in parading designer brands and plotting political manoeuvres rather than putting in the effort to solve the people’s problems?” it asked in a tongue-in-cheek response to the oft-criticised designer outfits worn by members of the Cabinet and the non-stop political moves to wrest full control of Putrajaya.
Under the Budget 2022 Peranti Siswa Keluarga Malaysia initiative, tablets are to be provided to university students from low-income families to ensure they do not get left behind.
Applications to get the devices closed two months ago in May, according to media reports. More than 100,000 units will be distributed to more than 200 universities across the country.
Annuar had previously stated that the tablet rollout would be delayed to mid-July after the tender for the initial supplier was cancelled by the Ministry of Finance. No reasons were given for this.
However, Federal Territory DAP Socialist Youth’s publicity secretary Raja Ahmad Iskandar Fareez noted that there has not been any update on the delivery of the tablets and the month is coming to an end.
“This delay will only interrupt students’ learning process, especially at a crucial time where they need to prepare themselves to enter the job market,” he said in a statement.
He also questioned whether the Cabinet was actually tackling the rising cost of goods, claiming there were no comprehensive plans outlined by each ministry to do this.
Raja Ahmad Iskandar questioned the priorities of the Government, noting the sheer number of advisors and political appointments made by the Government as well, and those in Government-linked-companies or GLCs.
“Unfortunately, the same Minister is the one who has been tasked to head the most important task force of the day – the Special Jihad Against Inflation Task Force,” he lamented further.
Raja Ahmad Iskandar called on Cabinet members to do their job well and not use the premise of a looming general election to “shirk” their responsibilities while enjoying the benefit of their offices.
On Thursday (July 14), former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching also called on the government to provide an update on the tablets and reassure students about the status of their applications.
Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had also asked for an update on the issue last week in a TikTok video. – July 16, 2022
