Harapan Youth chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin has questioned the government's promise to provide 150,000 free laptops to students from 500 schools nationwide.
The initiative was first announced under Budget 2021, and following public pressure, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz in January said its distribution by government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) would be carried out last month.
Taking to Twitter, Shazni (above) said with no laptops being distributed, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday announced a RM300 subsidy for the purchase of smart devices, with a total allocation of RM2 billion beginning May.
"Promised in January to give free laptops, until now it is almost April and still nothing.
"What happened to the distribution of the 150,000 laptops? Which GLCs and GLICs are involved?" he said.
"When they gave hope to the rakyat, have it (distribution) been approved or it was still in discussion?
"If approved, then where are the laptops?" asked the Amanah Youth chief.
Shazni also questioned whether the announced smart device subsidy for low-income families with schoolgoing children would cancel the free laptop promise.
"Further, RM2 billion is a large amount. What guarantee is given that the allocation truly reached its target groups?"
The distribution of free laptops was part of the Cerdik scheme, a corporate social responsibility initiative by 13 GLCs and GLICs under the Finance Ministry.
Checks on Cerdik's official website, as well as its secretariat - the Hasanah Foundation - did not reveal any latest updates surrounding the distribution of the laptops, beyond its initial February targeted starting date. - Mkini
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