Wan Saiful: New mechanism to repay PTPTN loan will be presented to cabinet within six months

DUNGUN, Dec 22 — A new mechanism for the repayment of the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loan is expected to take six months to prepare before it can be presented to the Cabinet for approval, said its chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

He said PTPTN was actively holding meetings with various parties including community leaders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to obtain relevant information and input before the draft was tabled.

This, he said, would avoid the implementation of the new method from creating a polemic, as well as being fair and taking into account the welfare of borrowers.

“The study for the implementation of the new scheme is underway and I have been to Kedah, Perlis, Perak and today here, in Terengganu to meet all stakeholders at the grassroots level to gather information.

“We will listen to all the input and the improved aspects (of the refund scheme) that will be implemented will depend on the input we receive,” he said during a press conference after a PPBM (Bersatu) programme to hand out schooling aid to 1,000 Terengganu school students at the Universiti Teknologi Mara Dungun campus here today.

Terengganu Bersatu chairman Datuk Razali Idris was also present.

Wan Saiful assured that the views and suggestions from everyone would be considered and analysed to find the best mode for repayment.

“Before this, we had to send the suggestions on improvements (for the repayment scheme) within 100 days to chase the promise made in the manifesto, and due to the time constraints and shortcomings in the repayment scheme that was to be implemented on Dec 5, it was postponed by the Government following protests from the people.

“So after this, we will make sure that all views will be taken into consideration and will create several scenarios and look observe the effects before it is presented (to the Cabinet),” he said. — Bernama