KUALA LUMPUR, 16 Aug 2019:
The government has agreed to increase the allowance for interns undergoing practical training in ministries, government departments and agencies from RM1.60 an hour to RM5 an hour – effective Sept 1.
Announcing this on his Twitter account yesterday, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the increase of more than threefold was agreed by a Special Cabinet Committee on Youths yesterday.
“We have just ended a Special Cabinet Meeting to discuss the issues of youths and the government has agreed to increase the rate of allowance from RM1.60 to RM5…an increase of more than three times, from RM300 to RM900 a month.
“This is a very good increase…from no payment at all to RM15 a day, and now to an expected RM45 a day,” he said in a video recording of more than one-minute.
He said this is a positive effort by the government and pledged to continue working hard for the youths in Malaysia. His posting has been re-tweeted more than 7,500 and garnered 7,100 ‘likes’.
On July 24, Syed Saddiq announced the Cabinet had agreed to re-introduce the allowance for interns serving in the government.
Later, he said all ministries, government departments and agencies need to ensure they have adequate budget before taking in interns and implement the RM900 monthly allowance as agreed by the government.
Syed Saddiq said the Finance Ministry will issue an official standard on the matter soon.
“Action should be taken against agencies failing to abide by the allowance rate. Ministers need to ensure that the rate is followed,” he after launching the Young Heroes E-entrepreneur programme at his ministry today.
The allowance for youths undergoing practical training in ministries and government agencies and departments would be increased from RM300 per month to RM900 per month.
Syed Saddiq said he received information that even when the RM300 allowance was in force, several ministries did not implement it. He was informed there were ministries that took in up to 300 practical students but only paid 50 of them while the rest were unpaid.
He said internship allowance in the government sector should be increased as RM300 was not enough especially if the intern was from a B40 (lower income) family from Sabah and Sarawak who had to do practical training in Kuala Lumpur.
– Bernama