KUCHING: A total of 36 students were successful in their application for scholarships under the Tun Taib Bursary.
They received their bursaries from Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud during a ceremony at the Astana here today.
From this total, 32 recipients are studying for their first degrees while two each are undertaking Masters and PhD courses.
The students are the first batch to receive the Tun Taib Bursary which was introduced in July 12, and approved by Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (MMKN) on Aug 14. The Tun Taib Bursary combines the Bestari Bursary (Biasiswa Bestari) and Cemerlang Bursary (Biasiswa Cemerlang) which were introduced in 2010 and 2016 respectively by Yayasan Sarawak.
In his speech, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said in its pursuit of the digital economy, the state has to develop its human resource capital, especially with regards to new disciplines and fields of knowledge.
The postgraduate studies are on new disciplines including cybersecurity, information technology and agricultural engineering.
“Yayasan Sarawak will continue to award scholarships to students irrespective of race and religious background to take up studies in the country and overseas,” he said.
He hoped the students undertaking their first degrees will continue their studies to postgraduate levels where they can do research which are beneficial to Sarawak Digital Economy push.
According to a press handout, the Tun Taib Bursary was introduced to appreciate Taib’s contributions to higher education in the state, especially the establishment of institutions such as Curtin University Malaysia, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Kolej Laila Taib and others; as an incentive for students who excel in their academic studies and to appreciate their efforts; and to ensure these students will be able to be utilised after they finished their studies to serve in the public sector in line with the wants of the state government.
The Tun Taib Bursary is available to students undertaking their first degree studies at Curtin University Malaysia, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, University College of Technology Sarawak, Universiti Teknologi Mara in Samarahan, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
Meanwhile, postgraduate students who are eligible to apply must be undertaking full-time research in local or foreign institutions of higher education.
Total of 140 applications were received for first degree studies (2017/2018 session). Meanwhile, 11 postgraduate students applied.
Under the Biasiswa Bestari and Cemerlang schemes, a total of 98 students had successful applications and will now be sponsored students under the Tun Taib Bursary.
