"Tuntut Janji PTPN" students march to parliament

KUALA LUMPUR - About 20 students from various local universities marched from Universiti Malaya (UM) to the Parliament building today to protest against the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan repayment schedule announced by the government in Budget 2019.

The group, Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam Se-Malaysia (Gamis), reached the Parliament gates at about 12.50pm where they were stopped by the police.

Gamis president Muhammad Faizzuddin Mohd Zai told reporters they were disappointed that they were unable to meet Education Minister Maszlee Malik, but were told to wait for his aide instead.

“We want to tell Maszlee that he is a hypocrite,” he said. “He talks big about democracy but he let us walk 9km only to wait at the roadside as if we are nothing.

“Yes, we are not like mega corporations that can lobby the Pakatan Harapan government. We students are the poorest segment of the people and will continue to be so due to our PTPTN debt being taken away from our salaries automatically, by force.”

The group comprised students from UM, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, International Islamic University Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia, among others.

Faizzuddin also showed a breakdown of the cost of living for fresh graduates who earn RM1,000, saying such individuals could be RM400 in debt every month.

The calculations, along with a memorandum explaining how the government’s recent decisions on PTPTN repayments would burden graduates, were handed over to Maszlee’s special officer, Abdul Hannaan Khairy.

PTPTN chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan announced over the weekend that the fund could not allow borrowers to begin servicing their loans only after their salary hits RM4,000 a month, as stated in Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto.

He said they had no choice as the fund was saddled with some RM40 billion in debt from defaulters. If they proceeded with the plan, he said, future students would not be able to take up loans.

In Budget 2019, tabled earlier this month, the government announced a scheduled repayment scheme of between 2% and 15% of the borrower’s monthly income, applicable to those earning more than RM1,000 each month.

Faizzuddin said if they received no response from Maszlee, Gamis would discuss further plans with its stakeholders. He said they might organise another march, this time from UKM in Bangi to Putrajaya. -fmt