KUCHING, May 20: Sarawak Patriots Association (SPA) recommends the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) create a scheme to allow PTPTN students to make repayments based on their salaries — maybe five per cent of their monthly salaries.
SPA chairman Datuk Lau Pang Heng said for those who earned less than RM4,000 per month, PTPTN needed to conduct competency-based training to upgrade their borrowers’ competencies so that they could earn more money.
“We need to move forward like a big family,” he said in a statement today.
Lau also hoped the Education Ministry would implement a module on living skills concerning taking loans and loan repayment.
“During difficult times, the students are advised to inform PTPTN and not remain silent. SPA feels that our country needs a long-term education plan to include use of social media, loans and loan repayment, ethics and upholding integrity in whatever we do,” he said.
On recent suggestions for PTPTN to enforce a travel ban on PTPTN defaulters or to prevent the renewal of their driving licences, road tax, passport and business licences to recover loans, Lau disagreed with these measures.
“If this takes place, SPA is asking if this is against human rights. A PTPTN student may be doing his own business and if his/her business licence is denied renewal, how can he/she make repayments?” he asked.
SPA also reminded PTPTN of Pakatan Harapan’s 14th general election manifesto No. 50 on Page 107, which reads ‘PH realises that PTPTN loan has now become a burden to students. We will overhaul the repayment structure of PTPTN loans so that the total repayment will be based on the borrower’s salary. We will undertake to delay the loan repayment for those who earn less than RM4,000 per month and repeal the practice of black-listing borrowers who are unable to repay their loans.’
“Every citizen will pay back the loan they have taken. No one is running away. The loan scheme in Bangladesh that allows petty traders, introduced by Steven Covey, to take up bank loans was repaid too. What more to say PTPTN students who have received a good education?” argued Lau. — DayakDaily
