265,149 PTPTN borrowers out of immigration's blacklist: Muhyiddin

PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department has struck out 265,149 of the 433,708 names from its blacklist of National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) defaulters.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the remaining 168,289 names would be removed from the department's blacklist system on June 15.
He said the lift on the travel restriction was applicable to borrowers whose names were still in the Immigration system.
"The authorities at the entry points nationwide have been informed," he told a press conference after a working visit to the Immigration Department Headquarters here today.
For individuals who had been blacklisted by the Inland Revenue Board, Muhyiddin said they were allowed to leave the country without any restriction, from June 1.
He said the department's records showed that 636,202 people were still blacklisted by other agencies.
On the police hunt for Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos who has allegedly fled to Indonesia, Muhyiddin said efforts to track the Sungai Besar Umno Division chief was ongoing, with the cooperation of Indonesian police.
He said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun had duly informed the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia of the development as the process involved the security forces of that country.
Like other Malaysians, Muhyiddin said, he was not happy with the incident and wondering what was happening with Jamal.
"That's why I have asked the IGP to look into this case. I want to know how Jamal could easily escape from the hospital and if negligence was involved, disciplinary action should be taken against the police officer concerned," he said.
The police had earlier issued a warrant of arrest against Jamal for failing to turn up despite being given sufficient time to surrender and cooperate in the investigation.
Jamal was reported to have disappeared last Friday after being charged at Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital.
The Shah Alam Court assistant registrar handling the accused's bail was only aware of his disappearance about 5.30pm that day. — Bernama