Sarawak is set to offer scholarships to high school and university students from Cambodia and is also exploring a direct flight route between Phnom Penh and Kuching.
Cambodian Senior Minister for Special Missions (Islamic Affairs), Oknha Datuk Dr Othsman Hassan, said the plan aims to allow Cambodian students to pursue studies in fields such as engineering, accounting, and law. Currently, Cambodian students receiving scholarships are placed in Kuala Lumpur, with none yet studying in Sarawak. “We hope the Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, will support the intake of these students,” he said after a courtesy call on the Premier at Kompleks Satria Pertiwi.
Earlier in August, Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), announced that RM4.5 million from zakat funds had been allocated by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) to fully sponsor 100 Cambodian students at three institutions in Malaysia.
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, said the International Islamic School in Sarawak, set to open in 2027, will accept students from Regional Islamic Dakwah Council of Southeast Asia and the Pacific (RISEAP) member countries, including Cambodia. “High school students from Phnom Penh will be invited to study at this international school,” he added.
Othsman also proposed that Phnom Penh be included as a destination for AirBorneo, Sarawak’s state-owned airline, once operations begin. AirBorneo, formerly known as MASwings, is Sarawak’s first homegrown airline.
