Pakatan's promise on PTPTN unrealistic, says fund chairman

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan's (PH) manifesto to ease the burden of graduates who took the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans was unrealistic and merely a populist move.
Stating this, PTPTN chairman Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said that the corporation had previously studied such measures proposed by PH and found out that it was not practical to be implemented.
"Such measures will only lead to the increase of borrowers who will not repay their debts.
"It will cause us to continue to rely on other financial measures to allow us providing funds to new students," he told a press conference during the 20th Anniversary of PTPTN at Sime Darby Convention Centre.
PH in its election manifesto pledged to postpone the study loan repayment for those earning below RM4,000 a month, as well as not blacklisting defaulters.
The opposition coalition said such measure would be undertaken within 100 days of PH administration if it manages to wrest Putrajaya in the next general election.
Shamsul Anuar, who is also the Lenggong MP, said the pledge put forward by PH was more of a political gimmick, adding that the opposition might not even able to keep its promise if they come into power.
"Such proposal was only meant to draw the votes of youth. It was is an irresponsible suggestion," he added.
He said the current measure practised by PTPTN was better than those proposed by PH, as it allowed flexibility for repayments.
He added PTPTN had previously increased the period of first payment from six months after graduation to 12 months.
"Furthermore, if it can be proven that the borrowers were unable to make their payments, we can extend it for another 24 months," he said.
"The period of three years is reasonable to allow for the graduates to find jobs," he said.