Students reminded not to abuse RM200 book

Some university students are allegedly exchanging their RM200 book voucher at bookshops for cash of between RM130 and RM150, it was revealed here Thursday. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Prof Mohd Fadzil Abd Rahman said he had heard talk of this happening. "I hope none of the students of Unimas are involved in this collusion," he said at a symbolic presentation of the 1Malaysia Book Voucher at the university by Sarawak Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah. He reminded Unimas students not to exchange the book voucher for cash. The RM200 voucher for students is provided for under Budget 2012. Fatimah, in her speech, said the federal government had allocated RM260 million under the 1Malaysia Book Voucher scheme for the benefit of about 1.3 million students in the country. Meanwhile, a Unimas student representative, Wong Yi Han, said the university's students council planned to hold a book carnival at the campus to help stem abuse of the book vouchers.