KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — A Pakatan Harapan MP today urged the government to review the scheduled salary deductions for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loanees who earned more than RM1,000 a month.
Dr Hasan Bahrom (PH-Tampin) said that the implementation of the PTPTN loan repayment through a direct salary deduction of between two to 15 per cent was not well received by the people, especially the younger generation.
“The government should reconsider this method (direct salary deduction) so as to not burden the loanee. Perhaps the government can find a more appropriate and democratic method,” he said when debating the 2019 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Hasan said the government should also look at other considerations including the graduates’ ability to repay the loan, as well as their cost of living.
“There are still low-paid graduates, earning about RM1,500, and they live in the city, and are categorised as poor urbanites. They (graduates) are still unable to repay the debt,” he said.
When unveiling Budget 2019 on November 2, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the government would implement a scheduled pay cut of between two to 15 per cent of the monthly income of PTPTN loanees earning more than RM1,000 a month. — Bernama
