State government has not done much to help students, says Noh
SELANGOR Umno liaison committee deputy head Datuk Seri Noh Omar has charged that the Parti Keadilan Rakyat-led state government has not made any big contribution to education in the state.
Not only did it oppose the setting up of a Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus in Hulu Selangor, the state government had also ordered the demolition of the Toh Puan Norashikin hostel for rural students in Kampung Pandan.
“All this only goes to show that the state government is not concerned with students’ education and welfare,” Noh said at Parliament lobby yesterday.
Datuk Seri Noh Omar says the Parti Keadilan Rakyat-led Selangor government is not concerned with the welfare of students
“All this only goes to show that the state government is not concerned with students’ education and welfare,” Noh said at Parliament lobby yesterday.
“They are willing to demolish the hostel in the interest of selling the land and in doing so, they are denying rural students a chance to obtain better education in the city.
“They have also sacrificed a golden opportunity for Selangor residents to study at the UiTM branch campus even though the Federal Government had approved the project.”
Noh, who is also agriculture and agro-based industry minister, said a total of RM100 million in subsidies had been allocated for padi seed producers since 2007.
He said the government provided incentives of RM1.03 per kilogramme of padi seeds.
He explained that the market price for 20kg padi seeds was RM48.60, but with the government subsidy of RM20.60 per 20kg, padi seed producers were able to sell to farmers at RM28 per bag.
Meanwhile, in Shah Alam, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the Selangor government’s move to liquidate Unisel’s assets to finance its students’ fees showed that the state government was unable to provide free education.
“Now they know that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone will have to bear the cost and that is why we need PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund Corporation),” he said after handing over awards to 108 staff of the Community Development Department here yesterday.
On June 9, the loan freeze was lifted after Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said Unisel had disagreed with Pakatan Rakyat’s policies.
Shafie also claimed many companies had pulled out from investing in the state given its political instability in relation to issues like water shortage, which is expected to hit the state in 2014.
