University students place high hopes on government to provide career opportunities

KUALA LUMPUR - Students from several universities have urged the government to provide a special provision for the gig economy action plan in Budget 2024, as well as focus on improving university facilities and increasing incentives for students from Borneo or the Peninsula studying in Sabah and Sarawak and vice versa.

International Islamic University of Malaysia (UIAM) student body president Ahmad Muntasir Aznan, 22, proposed that the government provide students with a Vocational Licence for public service vehicles (PSV) or a skills licence to earn pocket money while gaining work experience.

He also said that the government should improve and upgrade university facilities, such as residential colleges, faculty buildings, and sports facilities.

"Most facilities in universities such as residential colleges, faculty buildings and sports facilities need to be maintained and improved, special focus needs to be given because most of these facilities are old and not repaired," he said.

University Malaya (UM) student body Chairman Muhammad Aiman ​​Dhaifullah Dzulkarnain, 21, concurred that the government should increase allocations for all universities so that facilities can be upgraded and made more comfortable for students to use.

"I also hope that the government will increase the allocation for programmes that provide new job opportunities including high-skilled jobs due to the influx of graduates who are highly skills but have no jobs," he said.

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Student Representative Council (MPP) President Muhammad Izuan Faiz Abdul Rahman, 25, said he hoped that the government would also focus on job opportunities that are a "mismatch" for graduates and the issue of minimum wage.

"I also hope that the government will empower Vocational Technical Education and Training (TVET) for the marketability of graduates in addition to improving efforts to mould students with holistic characteristics in the future.

"Focus should also be given to efforts to increase access to the internet in parallel with today's learning which is more online based in line with the current technological advancements," he said.

According to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), MPP president Fatin Amirah Mohd Hisham 23, the government needs to increase the incentive of flight ticket facilities for students from Borneo or the Peninsula studying in Sabah and Sarawak and vice versa.

"Incentives were previously given on a one-off basis only, so I suggest this incentive to be added to every semester or at least once a year.

"This is because some students complain when they have to face the issue of expensive tickets in addition to changing study schedules which make it difficult to book tickets," she said.