PENANG, 9 January 2016 - In response to the article reported in The Star on the efforts to assist in providing free meals to students who come from poor families, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) would like to emphasise that this has been a longstanding practice by the university.

USM has long taken the initiative to assist its students through various means including establishing a Students' Financial Assistance Fund for those who require short-term financial assistance.

What more with the setting up of USM Foundation (Yayasan USM) to continue this effort further. What the students have initiated as reported was the result of discussions with the university through the Students Development Affairs and Alumni Division (BHEPA) for ongoing student assistance.

In fact, there are many funds which students can obtain assistance from, especially those facing financial problems.

What is important is that, they should come forward and meet those who are in authority, especially the hostel supervisors (penggawa desasiswa) for the necessary steps to be taken. This is not something new and in fact USM has always been helping those who have such problems.

USM would even consider allowing students to postpone paying their tuition and hostel fees so as not to burden them unnecessarily. Their welfare has always been the university's priority.

It is not justified then to say that the university is not giving attention to the welfare of its students, as that is what the university has continuously done.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin