The Communications and Multimedia Minister (MenKOMM) recently revealed that eligible B40 students studying in institutions of higher learning will soon be able to apply for their PerantiSiswa tablets as early as next Friday, 15th April 2022. He has also provided a glimpse of the tablet which comes with a keyboard and a stylus.
PerantiSiswa was announced during the tabling of Budget 2022 and Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul also mentioned that telcos have committed to contribute RM65 million to the initiative. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) later revealed that six telcos – Celcom, Digi, Maxis, U Mobile, TM and Yes, will be participating in the programme.
According to a source close to the matter, the distribution model for the PerantiSiswa programme has changed and the devices will be soon offered on a loan basis. This could be somewhat similar to the previous Cerdik laptop programme where devices were offered to students on a loan basis like the school textbook loan scheme.
Annuar Musa recently said that the PerantiSiswa tablets will be of good quality and the procurement will be carried out in a transparent and meticulous manner. The minimum hardware requirements include a screen of at least 10.1″ and 4GB of RAM. Since the devices will be procured by the ministry, the distribution model would be different from the Pakej Peranti Keluarga Malaysia, which allowed users can pick their preferred smartphone and data plan. This could also mean that B40 students will be able to apply for the PerantiSiswa tablet without signing a telco contract, which may reduce the barrier of entry.
Following the Minister’s tweet yesterday, netizens have scrutinised the tablets and some even asked the government to consider distributing laptops or Chromebooks instead. Former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq has also demanded the Minister to reveal the full specs and the brand of the tablet. He said the tablets should be from a “common brand” so that it is easier to repair and to find spare parts. If the tablets are going to be issued as a loaner, it makes more sense for the government to invest in a device that offers extended software support.
Salam Tan Sri @AnnuarMusa , mohon untuk nyatakan specs & jenama tablet.
— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) April 5, 2022
Kita nak pastikan tablet yang dibagi berkualiti, boleh tahan lama.
Lagi penting kalau tablet yang dibagi common brand, supaya kalau rosak senang baiki, senang cari sparepart.
Mohon penjelasan. Terima kasih https://t.co/bNEr9phNO0
Among the tablets in the market, the iPad is still the most robust option. Even the iPad Air 2 and 5th gen iPad from 2017 still supports iPadOS 15. At the moment, the base 9th gen iPad WiFi costs RM1,499 for the 64GB version or RM2,149 for the 256GB storage option excluding accessories. Apple does offer student pricing and the government could possibly negotiate for a better price for bulk orders.
When PerantiSiswa was first announced, the Ministry of Finance has allocated a budget of RM450 million to buy tablets for 600,000 B40 students. However, Annuar Musa recently tweeted that the program will benefit 400,000 students, which is a reduction of 200,000 units. Assuming that the RM450 million allocation remains unchanged, the Ministry will have a budget of RM1,125 per device. Eligible B40 students will be able to sign up for the PerantiSiswa tablet through a portal developed by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia and the Ministry of Higher Education.
