KUCHING: Sarawakian graduates who are borrowers of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans are urged to repay 30 per cent of their outstanding loans in order to write-off another 30 per cent debt balance through the assistance of the State government via Yayasan Sarawak.
Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, in making this call, revealed that over 9,000 Sarawakian students have benefitted from the PTPTN loan repayment initiative so far.
“Currently, students need to settle at least 30 per cent of their outstanding PTPTN loans to be eligible for the 30 per cent repayment of the remaining amount by the State government.
“I was made to understand that there are a total of 195,350 PTPTN borrowers involving RM4.7 billion until Dec 31 last year in Sarawak.
“I hope that we can increase the number of those benefiting from the PTPTN loan repayment initiative in Sarawak,” he said in a statement today.
Fazzrudin, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy youth chief, also lauded the initiative by the State government to help students repay their PTPTN loans.
“Sarawak is the only state (in Malaysia) to repay the PTPTN loans of its students and this reflects the State government’s commitment to ensure its people get the best education.
“This effort should be praised and is a role model for other states in assisting their students to settle their loans.
“It is also appropriate at a time when the people’s income and finances are affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic uncertainties,” he emphasised.
Fazzrudin, who is also Sarawak Volunteers advisor, also stressed that the PTPTN loans must be settled to ensure continuity of the national education funds for future generations.
Earlier today, Yayasan Sarawak and PTPTN exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the RM30 million student loan repayment by the state government.
The initiative to repay the students’ PTPTN loans was a follow-up on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s pledge to Sarawakian students during a Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak event in Kuala Lumpur in 2019. — DayakDaily
