Penang Future Foundation (“PFF”) started in 2015 as the Penang State Government’s initiative to aid outstanding and deserving Malaysian youths to pursue tertiary studies in public/private universities in Malaysia. With valuable contributions from the private sector and donors, and recognizing the importance of education and the need to retain local talents, PFF has awarded approximately 751 scholarships over the last 9 years. The awarded scholarships to date carry a projected value of RM41.7 million. For the year 2023 alone, 51 students from a diverse range of backgrounds were awarded scholarships in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Accountancy and Finance.

Though the State has celebrated 50 years of industrialization excellence in 2022, our focus is now firmly set on the next 50 years in improving and increasing Penang’s competitive edge.

As more international industry players continue to choose Penang as one of their focal locations for investments, this positive development crucially highlights the importance of growing a stable talent pool that meets industry needs. Based on the Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s (MIDA) investment performance report for year 2023, Penang took the prime spot for the highest approved investments totaling RM71.9 billion. Penang may be the second smallest state, but our geographical limitations did not stop us from garnering more than 20 per centum of the nation’s total collective sum of RM329.5 billion in approved investments.

I would like to welcome prospective applicants from all over Malaysia to apply for either ‘PFF Penang Scholar’ or ‘PFF Mutiara Scholar’ scholarship awards. Interested candidates are advised to check the eligibility requirements for each category. Both categories have different eligibility criteria based on, among others, candidates’ financial background and scholastic record. ‘PFF Penang Scholar’ caters for those with CGPA of 3.67 and above whereas ‘PFF Mutiara Scholar’ is available for applicants whose CGPA is between 3.00 to 3.66. Successful applicants will receive benefits that correspond with the scholarship awarded to them. Detailed information on benefits and terms of the scholarship is available at PFF’s website (www.penangfuturefoundation.my).

Application window for PFF Scholarship 2024 will open from 15 July 2024 to 9 August 2024. Interested students are encouraged to keep a lookout for periodic announcements through PFF’s website at www.penangfuturefoundation.my; Buletin Mutiara’s distributed free copies; and social media websites including Facebook and Twitter.