KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said  RM474.55 million will be allocated for human capital development next year. 

"This is priority for human capital development programmes, among them scholarship  and education grants," he said. 

Hajiji said the State Government has introduced several initiatives to ease the burden of  youths pursuing tertiary education, such as the one-off cash assistance to pay for their  registration fees under the Bantuan Pendaftaran IPT (BUDI) programme. 

The initiatives were being taken because the needs and welfare of students are top on  the state government's agenda, he said at the closing ceremony of the MASISWA  Games Sabah Zone 2023 at the University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF), here last  night.  

Hajiji, who is also Chancellor of UCSF called upon the private and public higher  educational institution students to continue supporting the state's development process  through the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) plan.  

"The State Government needs the support to ensure all the development agendas in the  Hala Tuju SMJ plan are successfully implemented," he said. 

On the latest development of UCSF, the Chief Minister said he fully supported the  university’s plan to set up campuses outside of Kota Kinabalu. 

"As the UCSF Chancellor, I am always sensitive to the higher educational development  in Sabah and institutions owned by the State Government.  

"I have taken note of the positive issues announced by the Vice-Chancellor, and as a  follow-up to the State Government's decision to provide research and development  funds, I am made to understand that the UCSF Centre for Development Studies is  undertaking several researches. 

"I believe with the present capability and research strength, UCSF is capable of  producing research in various fields of studies," he said. 

On another note, Hajiji said the MASISWA (Majlis Sukan IPTS Malaysia) or inter-private  higher education institution (IPTS) Games is the best platform for moulding the ‘Thinking  Athlete’. 

A total of 1,600 athletes and officials from 17 institutions converged for four days at the  host campus, UCSF to compete in nine events. 

"I am glad to see the cooperation and involvement of the IPTS in Sabah. Keep up the  cooperation and sportsmanship," he said.  

Ends