Delayed aid threatens Orang Asli students' education, says group
A student group has expressed its disappointment over the slow delivery of aid for Orang Asli students, raising concerns over the indigenous communities' welfare in the higher education system.
According to the Orang Asli Students’ Association (PMOA), the financial aid provided by the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) is said to have faced lengthy delays in the past, with students receiving their aid only in the final week of the semester.
A student group has expressed its disappointment over the slow delivery of aid for Orang Asli students, raising concerns over the indigenous communities' welfare in the higher education system.
According to the Orang Asli Students’ Association (PMOA), the financial aid provided by the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) is said to have faced lengthy delays in the past, with students receiving their aid only in the final week of the semester.
PMOA said that one of its members claimed that the students often experience delays, with some semesters seeing aid only disbursed as late as the 13th week, sometimes even during the final examination week.
In a statement today, the association said that after Jakoa was informed of a complaint made to Deputy Prime Minister and Rural and Regional Development Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the crediting process was expedited following the issue’s attention from higher authorities.
“However, the same delays have continued to occur every semester, despite the matter being raised by PMOA during a meeting with Jakoa on May 10, 2023.
“This situation indicates that the root cause of the delay has yet to be identified and fully addressed,” the group said in a statement today.
PMOA claimed that it has received over 70 official complaints on the issue, comprising Orang Asli students from 25 higher education institutions in the country.
The group also claimed that Jakoa has implemented a new aid distribution system, where the disbursement of incentives will be made directly to higher education institutions first to cover tuition fees, and any remaining balance will then be credited to the students’ accounts.
PMOA expressed concerns about this implementation, citing that the payment process differs across institutions and that delays are caused by a lack of official notifications and administrative shortcomings.
‘Review and restructure’
The group urged Jakoa to review and restructure the incentive management system, including increasing the number of officers to streamline the review and payment processes.
“If Jakoa wishes to continue with the new system where aid is first channelled to the university treasurer's account, then Jakoa must sign a memorandum of understanding with each higher education institute involved.
“The MOU must stipulate clear procedures and time frames for each payment, and the university's obligation to credit assistance to the student's account within a period not exceeding two weeks after receiving funds from Jakoa,” it said.
PMOA reiterated that the delays are more than just administrative issues and affect the future of Orang Asli children, who are working hard to pursue education to improve the well-being of their families and communities.
