Financial aid from the government is something Malaysians should be entitled to, should they have the right eligibility. But, how does one calculate that eligibility?
Recently, it was brought to the attention of Malaysians that the Malaysian government will CONSIDER measures to financially assist local actress, 35-year-old Jasmine Suraya Chin Xian Mei, to pursue her master’s degree at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in Los Angeles, United States.
You might know Jasmine Suraya Chin from local projects such as Paskal, Daulat, Cinta Elevator, KL Gangster Underworld and more.
She is the first Malaysian to be accepted into the prestigious acting school that boasts an alumni of A-list actors from Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson to Chris Evans, Lady Gaga and many, MANY more.
In order to pursue the 1-year course, the actress needs up to RM400,000.
Considering that Jasmine Suraya Chin is a celebrity, Malaysians disagreed that the government should assist in financing her 1-year course in Los Angeles as they believe the funds should be used on more important matters.
“Do the people pay taxes to watch the government do wasteful things like this?”
“With the current economical problems, they want to help with this. Like it’s so important.”
“Tens of thousands of students in Malaysia are enduring financial problems. But this is what they want to consider.”
“What are her contributions to the country? There are many out there who are smart but cannot afford to further their studies.”
“What will be her biggest contribution later? After she finishes she studies in acting?”
But, should she really be so quickly dismissed?
Jasmine Suraya Chin, who is currently already in Los Angeles to start her course, had previously expressed her disappointment in not receiving financial assistance from the government.
“We should not have the slogan ‘Road To Oscars’ if we are not serious. If we really want to go to the Academy Awards, we should develop the creative industry holistically. Similar to what is done in South Korea, where the development of the creative industry there is very good.”
“I think the mentality of Malaysians is only for short-term goals. When we try something new and it doesn’t work, we become afraid to invest again and return to our comfort zone. We have to be serious in planning and have a good budget. Don’t just plan for 5 to 10 years. This will take 30 years. That’s what happened in South Korea,” she shared.
‘Road to Oscars’ refers to the government’s initiative to encourage local films to compete on the international stage.
Jasmine Suraya Chin also allegedly had to sell her belongings, including her car, in an effort to afford the RM300,000 to RM400,000 that will take to fund her 1-year course.
With that being said, what do you think about this?
Should the Malaysian government help the actress by providing her with some funding or should she endure the costs of studying at the acting school in Los Angeles on her own?
Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
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