MOF approves RM5k lifetime monthly allowance to 7 national laureates

The Finance Ministry has agreed to provide a lifetime allowance of RM5,000 every month to all living national laureates.

There are currently seven living national laureates. They are A Samad Said, Muhammad Salleh, Noordin Hassan, Anwar Ridhwan, Ahmad Khamal Abdullah, Baharuddin Zainal and Zurinah Hassan. 

“The contributions and services of the laureates are significant in developing Malaysia through their excellence in the Malay language and in boosting the development of the country’s creative industry.

“That is why the government has approved the additional allocation of RM5,000 every month per person to the Education Ministry to fund the appreciation allowance for seven national laureates starting June 2019.

“The monthly payment of RM5,000 will be continued for the years to come,” said Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng (above) in a press conference in Putrajaya today.

The seven national laureates were also present and Lim presented each of them with a mock cheque of the monthly allowance.

Also present were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution, Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Steven Sim and Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim.

Lim said this monthly appreciation allowance is being given as a sign of gratitude to the national laureates for their efforts and dedication in playing an important role in building up the Malay language as the unifying national language.

“The monthly national laureate appreciation allowance will hopefully help guarantee their welfare, ensure their well-being and provide comfort to all national laureates so that they can continue to contribute their ideas, knowledge and high-quality works for the enjoyment of the society.

“This appreciation allowance from the Finance Ministry will hopefully guarantee the continuity of the excellent quality of artworks and show the priority given to literature and language from all layers of the society, including from a ministry that is not normally involved in this unique field of literature,” he said.

Any future national laureates will also receive the RM5,000 monthly allowance, Lim added.

The National Laureate award was introduced in 1981 and is the highest acknowledgement given by the government to an author in the Malay language who has continuously contributed to literature in the country.

There have been 13 people given the national laureate award since its inception. The latest to receive this award is Zurinah Hassan who in 2015 became the first woman to be awarded the national laureate title. - Mkini