82 STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM MYWAQAFPTPTN SCHOLARSHIPS WORTH OVER RM984,000

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- A total of 82 students have received the myWaqafPTPTN scholarship, an initiative by the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) in collaboration with Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia, with a total allocation exceeding RM984,000.

PTPTN chairman Datuk Seri Norliza Abdul Rahim said previously, 58 students received scholarships worth over RM717,000, while yesterday, an additional 24 students were awarded scholarships totalling more than RM266,000.

“The myWaqafPTPTN programme welcomes cash waqf (charitable endowment)  contributions from the government, corporate bodies, statutory agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the public, and legally recognised entities both locally and abroad,“ she said during the PTPTN Iftar with Media event held here yesterday.

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At the event, Norliza presented scholarships to eight students and expressed appreciation for the media's role in spreading information about PTPTN's initiatives.

PTPTN chief executive Ahmad Dasuki Abdul Majid, YWM chief executive officer Dr Ridzwan Bakar, and other PTPTN and YWM representatives were also present.

Norliza highlighted that contributors to myWaqafPTPTN are eligible for a 10 per cent tax deduction from aggregate income under Subsection 44 (11C) of the Income Tax Act 1967.

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"Since its launch until February 2025, we have received contributions amounting to RM1.19 million," she added.

She also encouraged the public to save through the Simpan SSPN initiative, which offers benefits like income tax relief of up to RM8,000 per year, takaful protection, a matching grant of up to RM10,000 for eligible families, competitive dividends, and syariah-compliant, government-guaranteed savings.

As the nation's leading higher education fund, PTPTN aims to reduce society's dependency on loans, ensuring graduates are not burdened with debt.

In line with the government's digitalisation efforts, PTPTN is actively promoting the use of the myPTPTN app for more efficient and secure transactions.

As of  December 31 last year, the myPTPTN app has registered 2.33 million users.

Fatin Nur Humaira Abd Rahman, 19, from Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), expressed gratitude for being one of the scholarship recipients.

"Alhamdulillah, my tuition fees were previously covered by PTPTN, and this scholarship has eased my parents' financial burden while supporting my university expenses," said the Diploma in Logistics Management student.

Muhammad Rida Hafeez Mohamad Johari Abdul Rahman, 19, a Diploma in Engineering student from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, said the scholarship allows him to focus on his studies without worrying about future debt.

"I am thankful to PTPTN because this scholarship enables me to pursue my Bachelor's degree," he said.

Another UPNM student, M. Harshavardhan, 21, noted that the financial assistance helps cover his educational needs, allowing him to concentrate better on his studies.

"I hope to excel in my studies and repay PTPTN's kindness," he added.

-- BERNAMA