PTPTN promise made without proper consideration: KJ

KUALA LUMPUR: Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin has predicted that payment deferral for National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) borrowers, which was one of the ruling government's key promises in its manifesto for the 14th general election, will not be fulfilled in its first 100 days as the government.
He said the education minister's reply today that the government is still studying the matter with the 100-day timeline fast approaching in less than a month is a clear indication that it will not be able to keep its electoral promises to the youth.
"This shows that they made a promise without thinking about it properly," the Rembau MP told reporters during a press conference in Parliament today.
In its GE14 manifesto, Pakatan Harapan had promised to allow PTPTN borrowers to defer repayments until they are earning at least RM4,000 a month.
"The answers that have been given do not inspire confidence that this promise will be fulfilled," he said.
Khairy indicated that this will dampen confidence in the government as many youths in the country had voted for them in the last election.
"We should ensure they can fulfil their promises, the education minister's answer was very disappointing," he added.
"Because if this pledge is implemented, PTPTN has to take loans to prepare funds for new applicants and these payments will be guaranteed by the government.
"This will add into the contingent liabilities which was said to be bloated at present. At the same time, this also contradicts the finance ministry's policy," he added.
He said the government declined to say how exactly it is going to handle the deferral.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik had said earlier that the ministry is studying ways to implement the suspension of repayment of PTPTN loans, in response to a supplementary question from
Khairy during Question Time in Parliament.
In response to this, PTPTN chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan said he is committed to delivering on this promise before the 100-day deadline but has cited the lack of information at hand as the main reason why they have not implemented this yet.