OVER 64,000 PTPTN BORROWERS EARNING ABOVE RM8,000 OWE RM257.56 MILLION

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- A total of 64,618 borrowers from families earning more than RM8,000 a month have RM257.56 million in outstanding National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans as of Oct 31, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said 196,115 borrowers from families who are not recipients of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) with monthly incomes not exceeding RM8,000 have outstanding loans amounting to RM539.35 million.

“Meanwhile, 967,796 borrowers from STR families recorded outstanding loans totalling RM10.23 billion,” he said when replying to a question from Tan Kar Hing (PH-Gopeng).

However, Mustapha said 911,788 PTPTN borrowers from STR families had settled repayments totalling RM13.89 billion.

He added that 58,921 borrowers from non-STR recipient families with monthly incomes not exceeding RM8,000 had repaid loans totalling RM703.45 million, while 136,196 borrowers from families earning more than RM8,000 per month had settled RM1.54 billion in repayments.

Mustapha said among borrowers who consistently repaid according to schedule, 450,522 were from STR families with loans totalling RM4.17 billion, while 131,396 borrowers from non-STR recipient families earning no more than RM8,000 per month had loans totalling RM697.79 million.

“In addition, 35,324 borrowers from families with monthly earnings exceeding RM8,000 have loans totalling RM362.36 million,” he added.

Replying to a supplementary question from Tan regarding the PTPTN repayment exemption mechanism for first-class graduates from private higher education institutions (IPTS), he said the ministry is prepared to review the mechanism.

He said the exemption policy currently only covers B40 and M40 graduates from public higher education institutions (IPTA) to ensure the assistance is more targeted.

“Previously, the exemption model also included IPTS students, but this time it only involves IPTA, limited to B40 and M40 groups. There is merit in reviewing the IPTS aspect, but the mechanism needs to be carefully detailed,” he said.

-- BERNAMA