08/01/2026

THURSDAY | JAN 8, 2026

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School aid brings relief, but groups urge long-term support KUALA LUMPUR: The back-to-school season often brought a familiar tightness in the chest, a worry over the growing list of essentials, especially for those with many children. However, families across the country have expressed relief with the continuation of the Early Schooling Aid, which provides RM150 per child to ease the financial burden during a costly time of the year. Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim told Bernama that the assistance provided much-needed relief for parents, particularly those with multiple school-going children or limited disposable income. “The aid allows parents to plan ahead and equip their children with basic school necessities without last-minute financial stress. This also helps children start school on a more equal footing with their peers. “Though helpful, it addresses only immediate needs and must be complemented by longer-term education affordability strategies,” she said, adding that the aid should be seen as a foundational support, not a substitute for broader measures to address the rising cost of education. Looking ahead, she hoped that the government would take a more holistic approach to supporting families and students throughout the academic year. “PAGE hopes the government will adopt a long-term, family-centered approach that supports students throughout the school year, not just at entry points. Parents also expect sustained investment in school quality, teacher support and student well-being.” Malacca Action Group for Parents in Education (Magpie) president Mak Chee Kin said the assistance, though modest, sent an important signal that education remained a national priority. He said the continuation of the aid had a positive impact, particularly for low and middle-income households, especially with rising living costs, where even a one off contribution could help ease the burden of school-related expenses. “It may not solve deeper structural issues in education, but it provides immediate relief at a critical time for families. This assistance helps parents make early preparations for their children’s schooling by covering basic necessities such as uniform, shoes, stationery, school bags and other essential items. “By reducing financial stress at the beginning of the academic year, parents can focus more on their children’s readiness and well-being rather than worrying about upfront cost,” he said, adding that the inclusion of Form Six students this year was particularly welcomed. – Bernama

Mobile labour court to launch from August

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Phase one will see three units start in Peninsular Malaysia; initiative aims to cut costs, travel time and income loss for rural workers: Minister

‘MA63 healthcare roadmap needed for coordination’ KUCHING: The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) technical committee needs to formulate a clear healthcare roadmap to ensure better coordination and effective progress monitoring. Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the roadmap is necessary to address issues such as the shortage of healthcare personnel, which cannot be resolved immediately and requires five to 10 years of structured planning. Sim said to achieve better outcomes and coordination, all relevant parties and ministries should participate in formulating the roadmap. “Sarawak needs an additional 4,000 staff for the Sarawak General Hospital and that is impossible to achieve overnight. Perhaps we can start with 100 in the first year, followed by an increase in scholarships and more students pursuing nursing, physiotherapy and medical studies. By the fifth year, maybe we can resolve half of the shortage.” Sim said this to reporters after attending the presentation of Basic Medical Supplies at the Batu Kawa Health Clinic here today. He also said by having a clear roadmap in place, future leaders can refer to it and continue the effort. – Bernama Labour Department offices in Ipoh, Alor Setar, Muar, Rawang, Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu. They will be equipped with the system in 2026 with an allocation of RM1.8 million, which will accelerate proceedings, discussions and improve efficiency.” Ramanan added that the integrated labour management system, still in development, will use artificial intelligence (AI) for big data analysis, cloud computing, and iChat board functions as the ministry pursues digitalisation to reduce monitoring and oversight difficulties. He said RM9.255 million has been allocated for the system, which is expected to take about two years to complete, hopefully by 2028. “A proposal from the deputy minister includes using AI to track workers in factories or plantations through biometrics, ensuring their presence and streamlining processes. “This does not mean we will stop recruiting additional officers – we will continue but no matter how many officers are deployed, it will never be enough. “We will, however, address the shortage by using AI, which is one reason for adopting the technology as we move towards digitalisation.”

PUTRAJAYA: The government will roll out a mobile labour court system from August this year, a move aimed at expanding access to labour justice, especially for workers in remote areas. At a press conference yesterday, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan said an initial RM5 million allocation has been approved for the initiative, with three mobile court units to be deployed across Peninsular Malaysia in the first phase. He said the programme will later be expanded to Sabah and Sarawak under a phased rollout. “This is a game changer, as the mobile labour court brings proceedings directly to affected communities, eliminating the need for parties to travel long distances for hearings.” “There is no need for people to go to court, the court will come to them,” the minister said, adding that the initiative would significantly reduce costs, travel time and income loss for workers. Ramanan said the rollout will be

enforcement officers and labour court personnel. The minister also stressed that the mobile court initiative was not driven by complaints but by the need to be empathetic and proactive. “We are here to facilitate, not frustrate. Workers earning the minimum wage of RM1,700 should not be burdened with travel costs and lost income simply to pursue labour claims. “This is about being progressive and ensuring access to justice is fair and practical for everyone.” Separately, Ramanan said the government is also strengthening labour courts through digital recording systems which was an initiative introduced in 2024 with two courts and followed by 10 courts added in 2025. “Seeing the positive result, we are adding six more labour courts at the

conducted gradually, with details on locations and schedules to be disseminated in stages. He said the courts will operate at different locations at different times, focusing mainly on rural and hard to-reach areas where access to labour courts is limited. “In urban areas, where labour courts are already accessible, the mobile courts will play a lesser role. “For now, the mobile labour courts will rely on existing manpower, but staffing capacity is expected to improve following the planned merger of three departments, including the Labour Department, Trade Union Affairs Department and Industrial Relations Department.” He emphasised that the merger is intended to streamline functions, reduce overlaps and allow for better sharing of resources, including

An initial RM5 million has been allocated for the initiative, said Ramanan (centre) during a press conference after a courtesy visit to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health at the Setia Perkasa Complex, Putrajaya. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

Investigation ongoing into alleged foreign cult: Saifuddin PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry is still in the process of collecting information regarding the alleged existence of a cult from South Korea believed to be operating in the country. Assistance and Donations organised by the Home Ministry’s Puspanita branch here yesterday. Also present were Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah and Puspanita patron Datin Seri Norhayati Musa. support from several private companies. “The purpose to help ease parents’ expenses in preparing school supplies, as the school session will begin next week. To some extent, it can help reduce the financial burden borne by the families involved,” he said. Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of an RM800 million allocation for the one-off Early Schooling Aid, with each student from Year One to Form Six receiving RM150, to be channelled through their respective schools.

“The combination of government allocations, initiatives by bodies such as Puspanita and support from private companies is a positive effort that should be continued.” He also expressed gratitude that such initiatives could be implemented in a country that is politically stable and economically prosperous, ensuring that the benefits are enjoyed by the people. – Bernama

Commenting on the Back-to-School programme, Saifuddin Nasution said it was the inaugural event organised by Puspanita for the year, involving more than 300 recipients comprising children of ministry staff as well as those from various agencies and departments under the ministry. According to him, the organisation of the programme also received

Responding to a reporter’s question on whether he had received any information on the matter from Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, Saifuddin said he was unable to comment further at this stage as investigations and information gathering efforts are still ongoing. He said this after attending the presentation of Back-to-School

He added that the initiative was first implemented at the ministry level by identifying recipients among the children of employees, before being expanded through various other programmes in the future. Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the government also plays a crucial role through Prime Minister Datuk Seri