60,000 students can now claim RM400 flight vouchers through the expanded FlySiswa 2026 programme
SERDANG: The government has expanded its FlySiswa initiative to include four new student categories, providing travel assistance to a broader group of students from Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan, and the Peninsula.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pic) announced that students from the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) and government-linked universities are now eligible to receive subsidised flight tickets under the programme.
Previously, only students from national public universities qualified.
The other two new categories cover students from the Institut Latihan Jabatan Tenaga Malaysia and all universities that are linked to or funded by state governments.
These four groups are now part of FlySiswa, which the Madani government first launched in 2023.
In total, 60,000 students are expected to benefit in 2026, with a total allocation of RM24 million.
“Each student will receive a digital voucher worth RM400, which can be used for domestic flights back to their hometowns,” Loke said at the launch of Karnival Pengangkutan Siswa Madani dan FlySiswa at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
He added that the programme also covers students from matriculation colleges and the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG), as well as the newly added categories, including state-owned universities and semi-government institutions.
“The expansion is part of the government’s effort to ease the financial burden of travel for students and ensure they can return home during festive seasons such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, and Gawai,” Loke explained.
“With this programme, students may travel home two to three times a year, depending on their planning and flight availability.”
Loke highlighted that the programme is fully digital.
“Eligible students simply apply online, and vouchers are issued digitally, eliminating the need for printed coupons or forms.
“Students also have the flexibility to use the RM400 voucher for one or multiple trips, depending on airfare costs.”
Since its launch in 2023, Loke said 119,790 students — around 75% of eligible students — have benefited from FlySiswa.
He expressed hope that participation this year would reach full capacity.
He also said that the programme is currently limited to IPTA (public universities), government agencies, and other government-linked institutions because student data for these groups is readily available.
“Expanding to IPTS (private higher education institutions) is more challenging, as IPTS include a wide variety of universities, colleges, and academies, making it difficult to define and verify eligible students,” he said.
Loke added that if additional funding becomes available, the ministry plans to expand the eligible categories each year.
“This year, we added four new categories, reaching an additional 6,000 students,” he said.
When asked if IPTS would be included soon, he said no promises could be made.
“Unlike IPTA, where all student data is centrally recorded under the Ministry of Higher Education through Unit Pengambilan Universiti (UPU), IPTS have no central registry to verify enrolment, which makes expansion challenging.”
FlySiswa is part of the government’s broader Madani framework, which aims to promote social inclusivity, provide financial assistance, and ensure equal opportunities for students across all regions of Malaysia.
