SEREMBAN: Three hundred students from poor families pursuing courses at polytechnics and public universities will be given free laptops, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

       The Mentri Besar said another 200 students doing their Form Six in the state have already received the laptops to enable them to better follow online lessons.

       The state government, through the Negri Sembilan Foundation (YNS), had set aside RM1.2mil for the purpose.

       "Since 2000, the state government has launched several initiatives to assist these students, and especially, those studying at institutions of higher learning.

       "We have also, since 2019, been giving cash aid to 2,000 undergraduates from needy families which cost us RM2.4mil annually," he said after giving away cash rewards to 97 graduates who obtained first class honours degrees in their areas of study.

       Aminuddin said students from poor families who needed laptops to help them with their studies can always write in to the foundation.

       He said YNS has the means to provide them with the laptops as the foundation is managed well.

       The foundation, he said, has also been providing other assistance to these students in the state, which included tuition lessons and rewarding graduates who did well academically.

       "Needy students who do not have laptops can always talk to the Village Community Management Council where they live or write to YNS.

       "There is no closing date for this," he said.

       Earlier in his speech, Aminuddin said YNS will write-off almost RM335,000 in study loans taken by 20 graduates who had obtained a first class honours degree this time around.

       Each of the 97 graduates who did well would also receive RM5,000 each.

       Ninety-three students studied locally while four had graduated from universities in the United Kingdom and India.

       In February last year, the state government had set aside some RM2mil to buy 3,600 tablets for students from low-income families to allow them to follow online lessons following the Covid-19 pandemic.

       One hundred students from each of the state's 36 state constituencies had benefited from the move.