Abim Highlights Aid For Schools Hospitals In Defending Anwar S Gaza Plans

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Anwar Ibrahim’s government had allocated a total of RM791 million specifically for early schooling aid aimed at helping students secure school supplies for the new school year. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: An Islamic NGO tonight highlighted the aid Putrajaya has provided to schools and hospitals nationwide in defending the prime minister against critics who took issue with the government’s initiatives to rebuild Gaza.
In a statement, Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) president Ahmad Fahmi Samsudin said the government had disbursed early schooling aid (BAP) to help students prepare for the next semester.
It was previously reported that the government allocated a total of RM791 million specifically for BAP payments of RM150 to each student as a one-off payment.
More than 5.2 million students are expected to benefit from the programme, aimed at helping students secure school supplies for the new school year.
And under the 2025 budget, Fahmi said the government had set aside funds to build 44 more schools.
Fahmi also said RM1.35 billion had been allocated to enhance the quality of healthcare in the country, apart from building additional hospitals.
“The efforts to help the people of Gaza and Palestinians do not in any way affect the development of important infrastructure such as schools and hospitals in Malaysia.”
Fahmi went on to say that the government also rolled out the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid initiative, which is aimed at helping the public, especially those from the B40 category, cope with the rising cost of living.
On Wednesday, Anwar said Malaysia would begin rebuilding efforts in Gaza by constructing a school, a hospital and a mosque as part of a broader initiative in collaboration with the Japanese government.
He said the projects would be carried out with the support of the private sector and the Malaysian people.
This led to former federal minister Rafidah Aziz stating, in a Facebook post, that Putrajaya should pay attention to Malaysia first, noting the “sad state of many of our rural schools” as well as “inadequacies in our outlying government hospitals”.
Earlier today, Anwar, who previously led Abim, hit back at those who criticised the aid to Palestine, who, he said, included past leaders, and asked if they had any compassion. - FMT

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