Story by Danny Ooi
A TOTAL of 142 students on April 29 received education aid from the chairman of Penang Hindu Endowment Board, Prof. Dr P. Ramasamy, at a
function held in Komtar. These students represented the first batch entering institutions of higher learning.
The total payout of education aid for 2016 amounts to RM370,490, with the second batch of students expected to receive the aid by May 23.
“From 2008 till 2015, a t o t a l a m o u n t o f RM2,058,011 has been disbursed to some 1,457 students,” added Ramasamy who is also Penang
Deputy Chief Minister II.
He said that the education fund is vital in helping deserving students to continue their studies in institutions of higher learning and thus enhancing
their future prospects and livelihood. At the event, the students received cash aid ranging from RM500 to RM4,000.
Among the recipients was R. Gayathri, 20, a first year medical student at the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST)
University in Semeling, Kedah. “The aid is useful in helping to pay our course fees and also for hostel accommodation,” she told Buletin Mutiara.
Agreeing with her was Edward Raj, 20, from the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM), a military university located in Sungai Besi,
Kuala Lumpur.
Raj said he was thankful to the board and the Penang state government for starting the education fund to help needy students.