Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman
KUALA LUMPUR: National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers who have the means to repay their loans despite earning less than RM4,000 a month must be responsible in settling their debts, says Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
He said borrowers with less commitments and could afford to spend their salaries to cater to lifestyle needs such as going on vacation and having expensive mobile phones, should settle the loans first.
“Such a matter needs to be looked at on a case-by-case basis where the government needs to identify those who have the means and those who do not.
“However, I want to emphasise here that those who can afford to travel abroad, you are obliged to repay the loans,” he said this when appearing as guest in the Bernama Radio Exclusive Interview programme here yesterday.
Syed Saddiq, who is also Muar Member of Parliament, said the main goal for the postponement of the PTPTN loan repayment as promised in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto was to assist unemployed graduates and those who had landed jobs but earning low income.
According to him, such borrowers were among the biggest groups affected by the blacklisting move by the PTPTN.
“There are borrowers who have secured jobs but their salaries are only around RM1,500 to RM2,000 per month. This is not enough given today’s high cost of living. In fact, the unemployment rate in Malaysia is also high.
“So, we (PH) think that it is better for us to help these groups instead of continuing to punish the borrowers by blacklisting them,” he said.
In addition to delaying PTPTN repayment for all graduates earning less than RM4,000 a month, PH had also promised to abolish the move of blacklisting the defaulters in their manifesto. — Bernama