'Ultra rich' don't care about education subsidies - Bersatu leader

The “ultra rich” do not care about education subsidies, said Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the wealthy send their children to international schools, costing tens of thousands of ringgit per month, and not to fully residential schools (SBP) or Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).

“To me, Anwar’s announcement is a cheap rhetoric to attack and pit the rakyat against one another.

“The ultra-wealthy do not care, nor benefit from SBP or MRSM, which are subsidised by the government,” the Machang MP was quoted telling Sinar Harian.

On Monday, Anwar said the government is examining the distribution of education subsidies to the people.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, explained that the elite and wealthy currently enjoy subsidies in the education sector.

“As far as I understand, there are children of the rich who enjoy education facilities funded by the government, compared to children of the poor.

“What should we do? This form of leakage, including the children of those from the wealthiest groups going to secondary schools aided and highly subsidised by the government, should be stopped,” he said.

Elaborating, Wan Fayhsal said Anwar either does not understand the reality about the elites or pretends not to know.

“I think the prime minister’s remark is incorrect as the fact is the ultra-wealthy do not care about education subsidies.”

Yesterday, PSM accused Anwar of attempting to “satiate cronies” with his announcement, alleging that wealthy elites have opened private colleges to benefit from government education loans.

Higher Education Minister Zambry Abd Kadir also said removing education subsidies for children from affluent families at public higher education institutions needed cabinet approval.

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