SEREMBAN, March 29 — The deferment of the Skills Development and Fund Corporation (PTPK) loan repayment for six months beginning April 1 will help ease the burden of the low-income group and those affected by the movement control order (MCO).

Factory worker Alia Zulaikha Zainol, 23, said with the deferment, she could use the RM150 monthly allocation to pay for the PTPK loan to buy food and other essential items.

"During this MCO period, I will only get my monthly basic salary of RM1,200, there will be no allowances as the factory is not allowed to operate.

"Since my income is only enough to pay for my monthly commitments and buy food, I can use the money to pay for other commitments,” she told Bernama today.

Sharing the same sentiment, civil servant, Anis Syahira Zaharudin, 26, said the deferment help many in my situation to go through this difficult period.

"The money which is supposed to be used to pay off the loan, can be used to buy daily necessities and medicines,” she said.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the deferment of the PTPK loan repayments for six months starting from April 1 which would benefit 174,500 borrowers involving collection amounting to RM149.2 million. — Bernama