KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — A PAS leader has admitted today that the party will not be able to abolish the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) debts as promised in its 14th general election manifesto.

Sinar Harian quoted PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah saying the Islamist party only pledged to do so if it were able to form the federal government on its own, rather than as part of a coalition like it is now.

"This is [Perikatan Nasional], not a PAS government. It should be remembered, the manifesto (said] that if we are a government, but now we are a Perikatan Nasional government.

"We are only a part of it. it is different than Pakatan Harapan. If we were the government, we would have the seats and so on, it would be different,” he told the Malay daily.

In 2018, PAS pledged to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and scrap the outstanding debts of the existing federal study loan PTPTN borrowers as part of its manifesto for the 14th general election.

PAS president Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang said the PTPTN debts will be offset by a federal government that would not have any leakages.

The so-called Perikatan Nasional coalition government was formed after Prime Minister Tan Seri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia joined forces with former enemies PAS and Umno, supported by Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, MCA and MIC.

This sees PAS entering the federal government for the first time in since 1974 when it was booted out of Barisan National in 1977.

Mohd Amar, however, hopes that the new administration will focus on addressing economic woes facing the nation.

Commenting on the current political situation, Mohd Amar commented that the party hopes to see a change of administration in several states such as Perak, Kedah and Negri Sembilan.