BSB Bank Bhd has allocated RM200,000 in zakat assistance to help 500 students from fishing families pursue higher education, with the funds channelled through Yayasan Nelayan Malaysia (YANEM) under its 2026 Education Assistance Programme.
The one-off financial aid is intended to ease the initial costs of entering higher education, including registration, transport, accommodation and essential study materials. Under the programme, 250 students enrolled in certificate courses will receive RM300 each, while another 250 pursuing diploma or bachelor’s degree programmes will receive RM500 each.
The initiative targets verified students from fishing households, where fluctuating daily incomes and rising education costs often make the transition into higher education financially challenging.
MBSB Group Chief Executive Officer Rafe Haneef said research involving 220 coastal fishers in Terengganu found that only 1% had attended college or university.
Rafe said, “Research among 220 coastal fishers in Terengganu found that only 1% had attended college or university. That gap deserves attention. Young people from fishing communities have the talent and determination to go further, and MBSB’s zakat contribution will help 500 students nationwide meet the immediate costs of entering or continuing higher education.”
YANEM chairman Tuan Haji Abdul Hamid Bahari said the assistance would allow students to begin their studies with greater confidence instead of worrying about upfront expenses.
The contribution forms part of MBSB’s education-focused zakat initiatives, which also included RM295,200 in assistance this year for 984 verified asnaf students at Universiti Putra Malaysia. The bank said it would continue directing zakat towards programmes that address verified needs and deliver practical outcomes.
