PUTRAJAYA, Oct 10 — The one-stop centre for the intake of foreign students will be asked to help curb the abuse of student visas.

Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) will expand its jurisdiction to language centres following a revelation that students enrolling at such centres had links to human trafficking syndicates.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday that student visas and Visas on Arrival (VOA) were misused by individuals who entered the country as students only to work for the syndicates.

Responding to the claim,  Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said yesterday EMGS would investigate the possibility that language centres were abusing this system.

“I plan to discuss the matter with Zahid tomorrow (Friday) during the Cabinet meeting so we can plan our next course of action,” he said.

Idris said EMGS reduced cases of rogue students entering the country “greatly” since its inception last year and would continue to work with the Immigration Department and the Home Ministry.

In May, Idris said EMGS had been effective in deterring foreigners from abusing their student visas.

He then revealed EMGS rejected 1,514 from 12,850 student applications during the first quarter of the year.

On a separate matter, Idris said over 170,000 borrowers of student loans under the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) would be given the opportunity to discuss with the corporation on how to repay their outstanding loans before their names are listed in the Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS).

Idris said PTPTN had been flexible but there were many who took advantage by not making any payment over the years.

“We have information of those who have received the loans and we are also aware there are those who are earning high salaries, but still refuse to settle their loans, even after three years,” he said.

“Applicants will be given three months to discuss how they plan to repay loans before their names are listed on CCRIS.”

He said PTPTN was open and willing to discuss with borrowers and find a solution to their payment methods before action is taken.

Idris earlier handed over the Malaysia Laboratories for Academia-Business Collaboration programme grant, as well as the letter of award for the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence programme and the recognition for outstanding researcher at the Education Ministry.