Tanjung malim: Some 1,107 cadets from the Civil Defence Student Corps (Kor SISPA) at 36 higher learning institutions (IPTs) will be the first group to receive the newly approved allowance, with payments beginning this month. Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang announced that the allowance would be paid in phases based on priority, with the first phase involving an estimated financial implication of RM500,000.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rubiah, who also serves as the Civil Defence honorary commissioner, made the announcement after representing Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the 17th National Kor SISPA Commissioning Ceremony at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. She emphasized that the initiative marks a significant step towards improving the welfare of Kor SISPA members, transitioning discussions into actionable implementation.

The government is exploring the best fiscal options to expand this initiative to benefit more Kor SISPA members over time. Rubiah noted that the one-off allowance would be calculated based on hours of duty, with RM9.80 per hour for bachelor's degree holders and RM8 per hour for diploma holders. This allowance aims to encourage IPT students to participate in Kor SISPA programs, providing exposure and motivation for them to contribute to public safety efforts.

Civil Defence personnel play a crucial role not only during disasters but also by providing assistance throughout the year, including at events and activities within universities and outside campuses. The Kor SISPA program, initiated in 2010 at universities, IPTs, and teacher education institutes, has produced 11,802 graduates to date. The subsequent commissioning ceremony is scheduled to take place at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) next year.