IPOH: The Perak government has not received any reports of cases of free smartphones catching fire but there are requests from students and families for the provision of these (free smartphones) to be increased, said Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad (pix).
He said the distribution of free smartphones by YTL Foundation to the B40 group through the ‘Tuisyen Cikgu Saarani’ (TCS) programme was still continuing following the demand to increase its distribution to facilitate the home-based teaching and learning sessions.
“I don’t know where the smartphone caught fire or exploded but as for those we have distributed to students, there have been no reports (of catching fire) in Perak.
“In fact, the demand for these smartphones is getting higher. I do not have the number of requests but it (demand) is increasing,“ he said in a virtual press conference at his office, today.
Earlier, it was reported that 20,000 units of smartphones will be given to B40 students through the TCS programme and as of June 16, the state government has received 13,000 units of smartphones which have been distributed to students listed by their respective district education offices.
Yesterday, Muar member of parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman shared on his Twitter page a screenshot from a netizen who claimed that the smartphone supplied by the government to a student had caught fire and he (Syed Saddiq) questioned why the smartphones had not been recalled. — Bernama
