KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 133,159 graduates have had their National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans waived for achieving first-class honours, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud (pic) said the waivers amount to about RM2.9bil.
“This is an incentive to graduates with PTPTN loans. They will be exempted if they achieve first-class honours,” he said during Question Time on Tuesday (Aug 19).
He clarified that the repayment feature on PTPTN’s online portal will go online on Sept 1.
“Those eligible for exemption can appeal then,” he told Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong), who asked if graduates with first-class honours could no longer have their PTPTN loans waived.
Previously, it was reported that anxious and frustrated first-class honours graduates with PTPTN loans appealed for clarity after being asked for repayment.
This came after attempts to appeal via PTPTN’s online portal were met with a “temporarily closed” notice.
Separately, Mustapha added that there is no decision yet on reimposing a travel ban for PTPTN loan defaulters.
He said PTPTN is ready to help borrowers restructure their loan repayments or postpone them if they have yet to secure an income or are still studying.
“We also issue reminders and notices to borrowers so that repayments are made,” he said.
As of July, he said, PTPTN has approved loans to 3.1 million borrowers from the lower-income groups, amounting to RM59.44bil.
