KUALA LUMPUR: Companies that offer internships to students should pay ‘reasonable allowance’ to help cover their daily expenses throughout the internship.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, even though the payment of allowance is not mandatory but sufficient allowance should be paid to the interns to cover their transport fares and food expenses.
“On behalf of the undergraduates, I want to convey their complaints and call on companies to consider giving them allowances,” Anwar said in an event at the Securities Commission’s headquarters here Monday.
Anwar who is also the Finance Minister acknowledged paying allowance to interns is not mandatory but companies should consider raising the allowances slightly.
“These are internship programme and cannot be forced and I will not set a clear policy on it,” Anwar said.
Meanwhile in a session “Temui Anwar” in Bachok, Kelantan yesterday, the prime minister had said he will convey the students’ complaints regarding interns’ allowance when he meets the companies today (Monday).
On another development, yesterday Human Resources Minister, V. Sivakumar said his ministry will look into the issue of allowances for students undergoing industrial training following reports that certain interns were not getting allowances.
Regarding the Capital Market Graduate Programme (CMGP) , Anwar said 9,000 students will benefit in the market industry with 600 people guaranteed employment in the sector within three years.
“By providing opportunities to develop skills and knowledge in the capital market industry to young graduates, CMGP seeks to build a solid foundation for Malaysia’s future economic growth,” he said. –Malaysia World News
