KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Nov 2018:
A Pakatan Harapan MP has urged the government to review the scheduled salary deductions for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) debtors who earned more than RM1,000 a month.
Dr Hasan Bahrom (PH-Tampin) said implementation of the PTPTN loan repayment through direct salary deductions of between 2% and 15% 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 debtors. Perhaps the government can find a more appropriate and democratic method,” he said when debating the 2019 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
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.”
When unveiling Budget 2019 on Nov 2, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the government would implement a scheduled pay cut of between 2% and 15% of the monthly income of PTPTN loanees earning more than RM1,000 a month.
– Bernama