KUALA LUMPUR: The FLYsiswa initiative, which offers subsidized flight tickets for public university students on domestic routes across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan, will now become an annual feature, as confirmed by the Ministry of Transport.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister Anthony Loke stated that this decision was made during a Cabinet meeting on September 3. The move underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing regional integration between different parts of Malaysia and promoting national unity in accordance with the ethos of the Federation. The initiative aims to ease the financial burden on students returning to their hometowns, particularly those reliant on air travel.

For the year 2025, subsidies for flight tickets, including those provided under the FLYsiswa initiative and during festive seasons, have been allocated in Budget 2025, with an estimated expenditure of RM48 million. This announcement was made by Loke during a question-and-an
swer session in the Dewan Rakyat, in response to an inquiry from Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal regarding the continuity of the FLYsiswa program.

The subsidy will be managed via a credit shell method, where local airlines issue a digital voucher worth RM300 to eligible students. This voucher can be used to purchase flight tickets on domestic routes within Malaysia. This year, 52,030 students qualify for the subsidy, with a significant portion from Sabah and Sarawak.

Specifically, 22,226 students from Sabah and 19,171 from Sarawak are set to benefit from this initiative. Among the Sabah cohort, 17,388 are studying in the peninsula, with others in Sarawak and Labuan. Meanwhile, 16,027 students from Sarawak are studying in the peninsula. As of November 4, 2024, approximately 68% of the eligible students have redeemed their FLYsiswa vouchers.