PUTRAJAYA, Oct 6 — The subsidy initiative worth RM300 for the purchase of flight tickets has now been extended to students from polytechnics and community colleges under the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE), as well as matriculations and Teacher Education Institutes (IPG) under the Education Ministry (MOE).

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said the initiative involving domestic routes between the Peninsula, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will begin today.

"For now, only students who are enrolled in polytechnics, community colleges, matriculations and IPG until the 2022/2023 academic session and have not yet completed their studies after the academic session are eligible for the initiative,” it said in the statement today.

The Ministry said eligible students can apply for the flight ticket subsidy from any airline, such as Malaysia Airlines, including MASwings and Firefly, AirAsia, Batik Air, and MYAirline through their respective websites.

On July 12, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the initiative would benefit over 56,000 public university students nationwide, with the overall cost estimated to be RM16.8 million.

MOT said students can check their eligibility through the website http://subsidiudara.mot.gov.my/.

Students who find themselves ineligible for the initiative can appeal to the MOHE or MOE through their respective educational institutions, it said.

According to MOT, the deadline to redeem the voucher to purchase flight tickets is December 31, this year. However, the purchase of flight tickets for travel after the voucher redemption deadline is still allowed.

After receiving the application, the airline concerned will issue digital vouchers worth RM300 to the students as a credit shell to purchase flight tickets.

"If the price of the ticket is less than RM300, the remaining balance of the digital voucher will remain in the credit shell and can be used for the next ticket purchase,” MOT said.

This subsidy initiative is one of the Unity Government’s initiatives to strengthen the relationship between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, thus addressing the cost of living issue in line with the Malaysia Madani aspirations. — Bernama